Vegetable nurseries for cyclone-hit islands [1]
Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 16:38. Updated on Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 16:39.
Vegetable nurseries are being established for 17 communities in the cyclone-hit islands of Ha‘apai and Vava‘u to help them recover and sustain their food crops.
This month, the islands of Ha'afeva, Kotu and O'ua in the Lulunga district of Ha‘apai received the first three nurseries to be constructed under the supervision of MORDI’s field team from Tongatapu, said Soane Patolo today.
The team expected that more materials for the nurseries will reach the main island of Vava’u, today May 15, before they are dispatched to each targeted island community. They will also receive training from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Forests and Fisheries on how to care for the vegetables and to ensure sustainability of the new plantations.
“The construction of these nurseries is expected to take two days... The training will ensure that the vegetable seedlings will be properly handled, and will not go to waste.”
Cyclone damage
MORDI stated that Cyclone Ian in January caused an estimated T$38.5 million damage to agriculture and fisheries sectors in Ha‘apai Islands and parts of Vava‘u, according to Government estimates.
“Part of Tonga’s National Response Plan to rehabilitate the affected communities included the installation of vegetable nurseries for 17 communities; six in the Lulunga District of Ha‘apai, and 11 in the Motu and Neiafu Districts of Vava‘u.”
The project to build the nurseries costing about $19,253 each, began on February 1, for completion within one year.
The total project costing T$327,313 has received contributions from Rotary New Zealand with the New Zealand Government (66%), Live and Learn in association with the Australian Government and the Pacific Risk Resilient Programme (27%), and MORDI TT (7%), with other contributors to the project.
Mainstreaming of Rural Development Innovations (MORDI) Tonga Trust works with poor, isolated, rural people to enable them to increase their incomes and determine the direction of their own development.
Since 2007, MORDI Tonga has invested over T$3.3 million in funding projects and conducting training in 42 isolated communities in Tonga, helping more than 629 households to fight against poverty.