In Fiji where the unemployment rate has grown from 6% to 35% during the pandemic, more Fijians have been taking advantage of the government’s home gardening seed and seedling distribution initiative as a response to invest in food security.

Meryl Williams Fellow Aradhana Deesh who works as a Research Officer for the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture is the recipient of an Alumni Research Support Facility grant from the Australian Centre for International Agriculture (ACIAR) to provide food securities strategies to backyard farmers in Fiji.  This project aims to provide a resource to vulnerable individuals and families impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

“I chose this particular area for my research as this supports the home gardening initiative that the Fijian Government implemented as a response to COVID-19, and I am focusing on mainly women and youth who have been affected by the pandemic and are unemployed or working on reduced hours,” she added.

“COVID-19 has challenged the health system worldwide, and a domino effect has been felt economically, which has impacted agri-food systems and led to challenges for food security, nutrition and livelihoods as well.”

After her initial findings revealed that particularly women often do not have access to to seeds and planting materials, her project brought seeds, seedlings, planting materials and other resources directly to these individuals and families.  These extra resources included a farming starter guide containing information on soil health, pest and disease management and harvesting techniques.

Late in 2021, Ms Deesh also joined forces with leaders of the local rugby club to serve youth who have been affected by the pandemic.  Collaborating with the Fiji Rugby Academy Coach and former international rugby star Seremaia Bai, seedlings are incorporated into existing programs teaching youth rugby players techniques for subsistence and surplus farming.

ACIAR Regional Manager for the Pacific and PNG, Mai Algacan shares,

“Aradhana’s projects is one of those projects that we think will create that impact and influence further on.  These are working at the household level, where you create an immediate impact…. By doing that and hopefully learning from the research Aradhana has, we will be able to create that influence and perhaps upscale if not expand that work to other initiatives of ACIAR.”

This project is only the beginning for Ms Deesh who hopes to integrate these initial interventions into promoting home gardening and food security awareness programs through her further research.

Find more information on the Meryl Williams Fellowship HERE and on the ARSF grant HERE.