“Lionel Maeliu Applauds Supporters of Organic Farming in the Solomon Islands”
By LESLEY SANGA Lionel Maeliu, the well-known founder of the Gwaunafiu Organic Farmers School, wants to say a big “thank you” to Kiwa Initiatives for giving a helping hand to…
By LESLEY SANGA
Lionel Maeliu, the well-known founder of the Gwaunafiu Organic Farmers School, wants to say a big “thank you” to Kiwa Initiatives for giving a helping hand to two organic farms in the Solomon Islands.
He believes this support is like a ray of sunshine for farmers all over the country.
The Gwaunafiu Organic Farmers’ School is located about 16 kilometers away from Auki, in the central Kwaraáe region of Malaita province.
Recently, they celebrated the launch of two farms, Zai Na Tina and Gwaunafiu Farmers School, as part of the Pacific Organic Farms Network (POLFN).
In an exclusive chat with Malaita News, Mr. Maeliu said, “Yes, indeed, this help came at just the right time to keep pushing organic farming in our country.” He explained that he had been volunteering for more than 20 years, initially struggling to find support for his work.
Maeliu’s journey started when he became one of Jonnie Tutua’s first students. Jonnie Tutua is the person behind the Kastom Gaden Association (KGA). With KGA’s support in 2000, Maeliu started his own farming project. But when the funding ran out, he kept going on his own. Then, KIWA Initiatives came in and changed the game, offering support to turn his farm into a shining example for others in Malaita.
With gratitude, Maeliu added, “I’d like to say a big thank you to the donors who stood behind this idea. This is just the beginning, and we’ll keep working together to help our farmers stick with organic farming in their areas.”
The Pacific Organic Learning Farms Network (POLFN) Project is run by the Pacific Community (SPC). Its goal is to encourage natural farming methods, bring organic practices to life, and share knowledge among small-scale farmers in the Solomon Islands.
In a speech, Mr. Lottie Vaisakavea, who heads the Solomon Islands Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, said, “The launch of the organic learning farms today shows that we’re ready for change and want to create a more sustainable and strong agriculture.”
By working closely with SPC’s Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETCom), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Kastom Gaden Association, and with Kiwa Initiatives’ support, the Solomon Islands Organic Learning Farms are becoming centers of excellence for organic farming. These farms provide a place for farmers to learn new ways to improve their productivity without using harmful chemicals.
At the event, SPC thanked local and international partners who made the Organic Learning Farm Network possible through teamwork. By sharing their expertise and resources, the Solomon Islands Organic Learning Farms will become a great place for collaboration and learning. This will help spread the word about organic and eco-friendly farming practices and build a strong community of organic farmers.
The POLFN project gets support from Kiwa, an initiative that gets funding from the European Union, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Partners that help Kiwa with this initiative include SPC, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and the Oceania Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
