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 Home Overseas Projects Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA and the Environment Projects
Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA in the Pacific
Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA is also involved in sustainable agriculture in the Pacific region. Since 2002 Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA has been partners with the Melanesian Farmers First Network (MFFN), a community based farmers organisation in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
MFFN facilitated the exchange of knowledge in sustainable agriculture, food security, seed networks, training and technical skills and access to appropriate materials. This exchange of knowledge assists communities become more sustainable and self reliant.
Since 2001 Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA has supported the sustainable agricultural movement which sprang up in Bougainville during the crisis which occurred there during the 1990's. Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA supports the training for staff at a number of vocational training centres, including the Paruparu Education and Development Centre with the provision of funding for the construction of classrooms, a library, dormitories for each sex and technical aspects and an exchange system with the Solomon Islands.
The Bougainville Food Security Network, a farmers seed saving organisation has been established, permitting the quality and exchange to increase. Food security is important, and insecurity occurs when people do not have financial or physical access to safe nutritious food (which can be caused by poverty and civil unrest). Methods of sustainable agriculture such as permanent gardens (instead of slash and burn agriculture) and the use of mulch (natural fertilizer and compost) were already in place along with land regeneration strategies including the planting of natural fruit and nut trees. The seed exchange programme assists to increase the quality of seeds available for growth of new plants thus providing better quality food. It has also increased the diversity of seeds available, widening the number of different plants available for the provision of a wider variety of food.
Having a wide range and variety of crops is important for several reasons. Firstly, relying on a limited number of species for food can limit the nutrition in the diet. Secondly, if one crop is ruined by natural disaster or weather, plague or fungal infestation then there are other sources of food available, avoiding severe famine and the need for large scale aid and relief from other nations. This promotes food security within Bougainville, and makes the community more self sufficient and less reliant upon external aid. The Bougainville Food Security Network has joined the MFFN in their attempt to find suitable methods of overcoming problems of isolation and lack of communication which inhibits the exchanged of knowledge and experience between farmers in the network and within the Pacific region.
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