400 Honiara householders set to benefit from tools and vegetable seeds
According to a news report filed by Eddie Osifelo in today’s Island Sun newspaper, 400 householders in Honiara will benefit from a set of tools and vegetable seeds to help them with food security and contribute to the growing of crops which will help provide a more nutritious diet and reduce the incidence of non-communicable diseases
Ten farmers were the first recipients of the tools and seeds following a handing over ceremony at Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock headquarters yesterday
The MAL Permanent Secretary, Ethel Frances, stated that most families living in the city are struggling to put food on the table due to the impact of covid-19.
As such, she said the tools and seeds will help the households to plant their own food in order to cut down on spending money on rice and noodles all the time.
It is understand the tools to be given out include, spades, forks, axes, knives and files.
6424 packets of vegetable seeds will see recipients a get sufficient to cultivate and harvest tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, choisum, cucumber, melon, eggplants and long beans.
The total package of tools and seeds were valued at $44,990.
It is understood, that the UNDP pledged additional money to a total of $900.000 which is likely to see the procurement of additional tools to be distributed.
From the $900,000 (the total pledge amount) the UNDP is still to procure the additional tools, as mentioned, from the remaining money.
The $900,000 was a co-sponsorship finance deal between the UNDP and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs.
All concerned in this worthwhile livelihood support project deserves our thanks.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
