The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), yesterday concluded the "Promoting Innovative Farming Systems to Improve Vegetable Production" project with an End of Project Workshop in Honiara.
Funded by FAO and implemented over two years with a budget of USD 40,000, the project was led by MAL's Research and Development Department. It focused on protected vegetable cultivation to enhance productivity, household nutrition, and farmer incomes in the Solomon Islands.
Speaking at the workshop, MAL Director of Research Martin Jaiki highlighted the project's achievements, including demonstrating that protected cultivation is a viable approach to food security and income generation while strengthening institutional capacity. "We review results, validate achievements, and agree on practical recommendations for sustaining and scaling up protected cultivation systems nationwide," Jaiki said.
FAO International Protected Cultivation Specialist Dr. Bidyuth Kumar Mahalder noted strong engagement from farmers, government counterparts, and technical partners. The project improved farmer capacity, strengthened organizations, enhanced market access, introduced post-harvest storage solutions, leveraged digital tools, and promoted youth involvement. Pilot protected cultivation systems showed promising results even under challenging climatic conditions.
FAO will continue collaborating with governments, development partners, and the private sector to scale up successful practices, promote sustainable and resilient agricultural systems, and support applied research and development across the Pacific, in partnership with national institutions and universities.
Source: www.sibconline.com.sb
