The Federated States of Micronesia is comprised of more than 600 islands in the western Pacific ocean, broken down into four nation-states: Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk and Yap. In recent years, the main focus for the government has been to foster sustainable agriculture in Micronesia, for the sake of farmers and the Micronesian economy.
Agriculture is a very large part of the Micronesian economy, and the majority of its economic activity revolves around subsistence agriculture and fishing, some of the country’s main crops including breadfruit, banana, taro and yams, its main exports being fish, black pepper and betel nut.
However, despite the fruitfulness and diversity of the Micronesian food supply, local communities have little opportunities to purchase fresh produce, because the majority of produce available in Micronesia is imported and expensive. The truth is that Micronesia can improve its agricultural environment by taking advantage of adequate resources and skilled farmers to improve the situation.
Virendra Verma, a researcher and faculty member at College of Micronesia – FSM, brought up key issues surrounding sustainable agriculture in Micronesia approximately nine years ago. In his research, his most prominent suggestion was finding more effective ways for farmers to raise livestock and grow food without wasting resources. He believed the best way to do this would be to train local farmers on how to effectively use sustainable and integrated agricultural systems.
In 2009, Dr. Virendra proposed the Western SARE project On-Farm Implementation and Demonstration of Integrated Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Production Systems for Small-Scale Farmers in Micronesia, an intricate, hands-on plan that uses local resources to demonstrate integrated farming systems involving swine and crop production.
Some specific objectives of the project are as follows:
- To develop cropping systems for multipurpose crops in order to maximize sustainable production.
- To develop swine production systems based on local resources.
- To develop easy techniques for using various components of crops for many purposes, such as food and nutrients for plants.
- To educate and train farmers the necessary components of improving and carrying out sustainable agriculture in Micronesia.
In the proposal year, this project was awarded $38,220 and approved by Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). From 2009 to December 2011, Dr. Viendra’s plan proved to be active and successful, as it resolved many concerns within Micronesian agriculture.
The program held training for agricultural professionals that focused on key concerns within the scope of food security and family well-being. Activities in the training included presentations, hands-on activities, discussions and a variety of “field trips” that covered topics such as vegetable production, chicken farming and food processing. Additionally, workshops were taught covering a wide range of topics, also focusing on food security and sustainable measures.
In total, 80 people attended training activities in Chuuk, Palau and Yap, and participation was nearly equal for males and females; 47 percent of the participants were male and 53 percent were female. Likewise, 13 percent of the program participants were agricultural extension agents and 23 percent were farmers. This diverse turnout and the information relayed through the training made this program widely successful and beneficial in terms of improving sustainable agriculture in Micronesia.
The training, workshops and presentations that shaped this program were crucial in increasing the local population’s awareness regarding the importance of implementing effective and sustainable agricultural production. Due to the training, farmers are now able to make better use of their crops, and they are able to produce at higher rates, both things that have the power to improve the Micronesian economy in the coming years.
– Alexandra Dennis
Photo: Flickr
Infrastructure in Timor-Leste Growing According to Strategic Plan
On August 30, 1999, the people of current day Timor-Leste voted on whether they wanted to remain part of Indonesia or become an independent nation. Ultimately, 78.5 percent of voters voted for independence. During this time, violence broke out and approximately 70 percent of the infrastructure in Timor-Leste was destroyed.
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste officially became a sovereign nation on May 20, 2002. Since then, the nation has been working to resolve the problems it faces. The damaged and underdeveloped infrastructure in Timor-Leste is one of the major challenges that the country has been working on in recent years.
The government of Timor-Leste created and released a strategic plan that it aims to complete by 2030, which it hopes will improve quality of life, health and education standards. Included in this plan is an entire section on developing the nation’s infrastructure. In this section, plans to improve roadways, bridges, waterways, sanitation techniques, electricity, seaports, airports and telecommunications are laid out.
Recently, the government of Timor-Leste opened the nation’s second airport, the Suai Airport, on June 20, 2017. The opening of this airport was included in the strategic development plan and is an example of one of the many ways the infrastructure of Timor-Leste is being improved upon.
In addition to the opening of the Suai Airport, there are future plans to upgrade Timor-Leste’s other airport, the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport. This airport currently handles around 80,000 to 100,000 passengers each year, but after renovations are completed, the airport should be capable of handling up to one million passengers per year.
Another example of the infrastructural developments being made in Timor-Leste is the road expansion project that the country is undergoing. The World Bank is currently helping to fund Timor-Leste’s road expansion project. In April 2017, a $35.2 million credit was given to Timor-Leste from the World Bank to expand the nation’s transportation project.
This project will make roadways safer for travelers and increase travel opportunities between the northern and southern parts of the country. Having dependable roadways will aid Timor-Leste in developing other aspects of its infrastructure and lead to increased economic opportunity within the nation. These roadways will promote rural development and support the growth of healthcare and education in Timor-Leste.
The development of infrastructure in Timor-Leste is still ongoing, but advances can be seen. The opening of a second airport and the major transportation project are just two examples of the work being done on the infrastructure in the country. The government of Timor-Leste plans to continue to build on these advancements in hopes that a developed infrastructure will improve the standard of living for every one of its citizens.
– Nicole Stout
Photo: Flickr
Increasing Subsistence Yields Key to Sustainable Agriculture in Kiribati
Kiribati is a Pacific coral atoll nation located close to Australia. An atoll is a ring-like island formed by the rim or border of the mouth of a former volcano which is now submerged in water. Atolls are an ideal habitat for colorful coral reefs, but on the other hand, only a small set of crops can flourish here. Hence, the pressing need for sustainable agriculture in Kiribati must be acknowledged.
Kiribati is one of the most impoverished and least developed countries in the world. Here, families largely depend on subsistence agriculture for survival and nutrition. Common crops are coconuts, pandanus, pumpkins, taro, breadfruit, banana, papaya and mango. Most food items are imported from other parts of the world.
Like several other small island nations, Kiribati is critically vulnerable to climate change and global warming. According to the New Yorker, experts believe that at the current pace of rising water levels, “there would be no Kiribati after 30 years”. Kiribati president Anote Tong told the New Yorker in 2013 that “according to the projections, within this century, the water will be higher than the highest point in our lands”.
In 2014, Tong finalized the purchase of a 20-square-kilometer stretch of land on Vanua Levu, one of the larger Fiji islands, 2,000 kilometers away. The move was described by Tong as an “absolute necessity” should the nation be completely submerged.
Developing sustainable agriculture in Kiribati could increase productivity, ensure food and income security, enhance the quality of life and create inclusive and equitable economic growth for everyone. Thankfully, Kiribati has access to financial aid and agricultural expertise. Global organizations and developed nations are offering their powerhouse of knowledge to assist with sustainable economic growth in the country. It receives $36 million in foreign aid, largely from Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.
An agreement signed by Tong and the International Fund for Agricultural Development promises $7 million to promote activities to increase the household production of fruits, vegetables, poultry, root crops and tree crops. The agreement also aims to improve diets through the consumption of a higher proportion of calories and nutrients from local food crops. It will also implement ways to harvest rainwater to increase household water supply.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has designed and implemented several programs for farmer training and soil improvement in the area to enhance the production of coconut and banana. It has slowly and steadily phased out the senile coconut trees that comprised 40 percent of the entire plantation and replaced them with a new rodent-resistant variety.
In addition, by leveraging a novel narrow pit planting system and tissue culture technology, farmers have successfully increased the production of bananas and other fruits and vegetables. In partnership with the Timber and Forestry Training College at Papua New Guinea’s University of Technology, hundreds of farmers have been trained in nursery establishment and management, use of equipment and tissue culture technology, among others.
Needless to say, the future of sustainable agriculture in Kiribati looks hopeful and bright, just like the bright yellow sun rising above the ocean waves on its national flag.
– Himja Sethi
Photo: Flickr
How the US Benefits From Foreign Aid to El Salvador
Immigration
In 2014, the U.S. pledged to invest $277 million in the economy of El Salvador as part of a program called the Millennium Challenge Corporation. This funding was accompanied by a contribution of $88.2 million from El Salvador’s government. The economic investments aimed to develop coastal areas, fight poverty and stem the flow of illegal immigration to the U.S.
The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to El Salvador because increasing economic opportunity for Salvadorians encourages them to stay in the country rather than migrate to the U.S. illegally. Thousands of young Salvadorians attempt to migrate to the U.S. illegally every year due to the rising insecurity and lack of economic opportunity. Economic aid programs like the Millennium Challenge Corporation attempt to stimulate El Salvador’s economy and provides the incentive for young Salvadorians to stay.
Economic Growth
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) also provides assistance to El Salvador through the Expand Broad-Based Economic Growth program. The program provides resources to improve local economic development, adopt sustainable agriculture practices and encourage higher education and job training programs.
Economic growth in El Salvador would also open up new markets for the U.S. economy. Thus, the economy of the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to El Salvador when it is progressing and growing.
Gangs
Gangs are also a major problem for the country. El Salvador had the highest homicide rate in the world in 2015.
These gangs were shaped by the decade-long civil war that began in 1980. Leftist groups battling the government materialized as gangs when hundreds of thousands of young Salvadorians fled to Los Angeles, California. They formed gangs to protect themselves from other marginalized minority groups in the city. Many members were deported from the U.S. years later and brought the gangs with them back to their home country.
In order to combat gang-related crime and violence, USAID provides aid and support to the government of El Salvador through the Improved Citizen Security and Rule of Law program. The program provides technical assistance to professionalize and strengthen the Salvadorian civil service and to enhance the public’s confidence in the Salvadorian government.
The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to El Salvador in terms of the economy and security, by providing assistance to strengthen the Salvadorian government and to aid economic development. By stemming the flow of illegal immigrants, the U.S. relieves some of the increasing political pressure domestically to strengthen its borders and curb immigration. By aiding El Salvador’s economic development, the U.S. opens up new potential markets which would, in turn, strengthen the U.S. economy.
– Sydney Lacey
Photo: Flickr
The World’s Poorest Countries and Why They Suffer
Institutions
The world’s poorest countries struggle to overcome poverty due to a lack of institutions. While many organizations are working to address this issue, there is still a substantial lack of quality institutions in education, agriculture and medicine. When institutions such as schools are created for impoverished people, it reduces the overwhelmingly low literacy rates, which increases opportunities for those facing extreme poverty. Funding the creation of more institutions for developing countries creates opportunities and advantages for impoverished people, which encourages a nation’s industrialization and economic success.
Corruption
Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo also made Business Insider’s list of the world’s most corrupt countries. Political instability and corruption create an environment that hinders growth. In the world’s poorest countries, political corruption is common and often discussed with severity, but rarely fought against. A strong governing body is less susceptible to corruption, but many of these nations have weak governance. This corruption, paired with conflict such as terrorism, can prevent an impoverished nation’s upward mobility. A stronger, more powerful government could be the solution for conflict and corruption in developing nations.
Geography
The world’s poorest countries are often at the mercy of their geography. Landlocking, poor soil and natural disasters can keep a nation at a disadvantage. When a nation is landlocked, the success of its economy is often correlated to the success of surrounding nations. For example, a landlocked country in Europe, where fewer countries are impoverished, has a better chance at success than a country in sub-Saharan Africa, where many nations are underdeveloped. This is based on the concept and reality of economic growth crossing borders. As well as landlocking, many of these nations experience disasters such as droughts which discourage agricultural success.
Economy
Economic growth for the world’s poorest countries is based on myriad factors, some of which are beyond a nation’s control. Many developing countries face the lack of a free market, landlocking and high trade barriers, all of which slow the upward mobility of a nation. Free markets encourage a blossoming economy; therefore, a lack of international trade affects a nation’s GDP substantially.
Trade barriers prevent developing countries from expanding their economic gains because they experience high tariffs on their products, which are commonly textiles and agricultural goods. Trade barriers are costlier for developing countries, even though it is more common for developing nations to export goods to other developing nations rather than industrialized nations. In this common situation, both developing nations suffer. Impoverished nations like Burundi, the third poorest nation in the world, rely on foreign aid from wealthy countries for survival because they struggle with trade.
How to Move Forward
Developed nations, which are industrialized, have implemented foreign aid laws and programs which encourage and fund the development of impoverished nations. To remain active and diligent in the support of progress for the world’s poorest nations, encouraging Congress to vote for laws that protect and create foreign aid funds is essential to the progress of these developing nations. Long-term development for economic and social progress starts with developed nations lending a humble hand to those less fortunate.
– Courtney Hambrecht
Photo: Flickr
Humanitarian Aid to Croatia and Its Children
SOS Children’s Villages International is providing humanitarian aid to Croatia specifically targeted at children in the context of a struggling economy, high poverty rates and high unemployment levels.
In the wake of the war with the former Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia that lasted from 1991 to 1995, Croatia has struggled to recover from the decimation of its economic infrastructure. The six-year-long recession beginning in 2008 also contributed to Croatia’s weak economic structure.
Unemployment remains relatively high at 16.1 percent. The proportion of the population living at or below the national poverty line is 19.5 percent. The historic economic hardships that contribute to these statistics are clear, but how do these statistics affect the most vulnerable population, Croatia’s children?
Children in Croatia took the hardest hit from the 2008 recession, with child poverty rising over 50 percent. Poverty and unemployment have contributed to an increasing number of children being placed in institutions because families living below the poverty line are unable to feed or care for these children.
Children with mental and physical disabilities, behavioral issues or psychological problems are particularly at risk. Croatia’s infrastructure does not have the specialized centers to adequately accommodate and support these children. Their families are offered very little support and the children are often removed from their families and placed in institutions where they are deprived of the parental support and specialized care that they need. With little support from within local communities, SOS Children’s Villages has stepped in to provide humanitarian aid to Croatia and its children living in poverty.
SOS Children’s Villages International was founded in 1949 by Hermann Gmeiner in response to the proliferation of orphaned children after World War II. Gmeiner’s vision was to provide loving care in a family environment for children that were without parental care for whatever reason, and to help families stay together so they could care for their children. SOS Children’s Villages now operate in 135 countries through the support of donors, child sponsors, partners and friends.
SOS Children’s Villages seeks to provide humanitarian aid to Croatia by supporting local children, young people and families. Children in institutions are placed with loving SOS families to receive essential care, attention and support. SOS provides housing for young people where they can learn to live semi-independently. Families also benefit from kindergartens that will look after their children while they work.
Humanitarian aid to Croatia’s children also extends to children affected by the 2015 refugee crisis, many of whom are alone. SOS Children’s Villages works with local organizations to respond to the evolving needs of children affected by the crisis.
SOS Children’s Village has two locations in Croatia, providing support to children, young people and families throughout the country. Humanitarian aid to Croatia from SOS Children’s Village helps support families and children struggling with poverty.
– Sydney Lacey
Photo: Flickr
Modernizing Credit Access in Azerbaijan
Many of the obstacles to credit access in Azerbaijan are similar to the ones present in other countries. It is particularly difficult for businesses to secure a line of credit. Lenders require extensive collateral and often charge high interest rates. Encouragingly, there are government programs that enable particularly small businesses to secure funding even if they cannot secure a line of credit from a private institution.
Poor financial literacy, especially among business owners, is also impeding credit access in Azerbaijan. Many are often denied loans because of problems that they could rectify if given the needed support and education. For example, many Azerbaijani businesses fail to keep written records because they fail to understand that this impacts their perceived creditworthiness.
Improving financial literacy is an important part of expanding credit access in Azerbaijan. The MicroFinance Bank of Azerbaijan has reported that consumer loans, in particular, are being disbursed at a much higher rate than before, suggesting that creditors are becoming more willing to lend more liberally to reasonably worthy clients.
Also noteworthy are the extensive efforts that are underway to modernize the financial system and promote new lending and borrowing practices. The country’s first private credit bureau was recently established and intends to promote risk pooling and information sharing among the 20 largest domestic financial institutions. It is anticipated that this alone will greatly improve credit access in Azerbaijan by promoting responsible lending and eliminating some of the logistical hassles of applying for and granting credit.
– Michaela Downey
Photo: Flickr
Credit Access in Georgia Among the Best in the World
Georgia is ranked as one of the best countries in eastern Europe and central Asia for credit access. Very well-qualified borrowers are able to secure lines of credit without too much difficulty, and the country’s financial system is conducive to lending. It is worth noting that a significant share of applicants are denied because they have unacceptably high levels of existing debt.
However, credit access in Georgia is an issue mainly for new businesses. It is estimated that 40 percent of the small to medium-sized enterprises in Georgia that need credit cannot access it because they are denied or discouraged from even applying. Those who can theoretically be approved for loans often find that the interest rate offered to them is prohibitively high. Seventy percent of applicants for financing said that high interest rates were an issue for them.
Another more minor problem is that it is easier to get a loan in U.S. dollars than it is to get a loan in Georgian lari. As a result, the exchange rate is depreciating and borrowers are extremely vulnerable to fluctuations. Many borrowers are not even aware that borrowing in a foreign currency exposes them to this kind of risk. This is a good example of the unintended consequences of poor access to credit denominated in the local currency.
Fortunately, those who are able to borrow thanks to microfinance programs offered by the U.S. and others generally report that they are happy with their experience. Georgia also has a good financial infrastructure in that there is centralized credit reporting, although many people do not fully understand how it works and are unsure of what to do if they run into trouble.
The Smart Campaign has done extensive research on financial literacy and credit access in Georgia. This research has helped to identify several ways to improve credit access in Georgia, which, if enacted, promise to boost the Georgian economy by encouraging greater financial security while also liberalizing lending practices.
– Michaela Downey
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Many Forms of US Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan
On January 4, 2018, U.S. president Donald Trump’s administration announced that it would cut military aid to Pakistan on the grounds that Pakistan has not been doing enough to combat the more than 14 terrorist organizations operating within its borders. Many of these organizations support international terrorist operations and carry out attacks within the borders of Pakistan.
The United States is concerned with the operations being carried out against its forces in Afghanistan, which borders Pakistan. The mountainous border is porous and is a haven for terrorists. Some regions are officially governed by the Pakistani government but under the de facto control of the terrorists. North and South Waziristan are the most contested territories.
The Pakistan government recently launched a military operation in North Waziristan to liberate the area from the terrorist organizations that controlled it. The continuing success of this operation could hinge on the possible $900 million cut in military and security aid from the United States. However, the Trump administration has made it clear that the cuts would not affect U.S. humanitarian aid to Pakistan.
The United States has been aiding Pakistan for many decades, with a focus on humanitarian aid and economic development. In the 1960s and 1970s, economic aid helped to build two major hydroelectric dams. During the 1980s and the early 1990s, the United States helped to build a large power station and Lahore University for Management Science. These are only a few examples of early and continued non-military aid to Pakistan.
Currently, most of the U.S. humanitarian aid to Pakistan is delivered by USAID. According to USAID, more than $7.7 billion has been spent on non-military aid to Pakistan. The United States government has budgeted $344.5 million in humanitarian aid to Pakistan for 2018. USAID projects in Pakistan focus on six major areas: energy, economic and agricultural growth, democratic and societal resilience, education and gender equality. Examples of USAID work in these areas are:
USAID energy projects have been successful because they are multifaceted. Not only do they increase the power output of the existing infrastructure, the funds also help repair it. The most important projects are the repairs of the hydroelectric dams. Repairing these dams increases their electrical output and increases the efficient use of water from rivers and reservoirs.
Agriculture contributes to 24.7 percent of Pakistan’s GDP. Up to 40 percent of the working population is employed by the agricultural sector. USAID has helped improve the agricultural sector by helping small and medium farms gain access to financing. They have also introduced new crops or modified versions of existing crops. A similar approach is used to help the private sector.
USAID has worked hard to increase access to common markets, education and government in an attempt to solidify social engagement. They have also worked to rebuild areas destroyed by internal conflict and help displaced families. Helping society function smoothly helps people feel that they are part of something bigger and are not being left behind. This helps to stabilize the fragile democratic government of Pakistan.
USAID has provided more than 18,000 scholarships for higher education over the last eight years, built or repaired over 1,300 schools since 2011 and increased the quality of basic education across the country.
U.S. humanitarian aid to Pakistan has helped to build two new hospitals in the last five years. USAID projects have helped over 9.4 million women and children. Working with the government of Pakistan, USAID plans to increase funding for women’s and children’s healthcare through 2025.
USAID has helped form a registration of 496,000 women to promote voting rights, awarded 6,000 college scholarships to women and improve the care and representation of gender-based violence.
U.S. humanitarian aid to Pakistan has been effective. Over the last three years, the country’s GDP has grown by an average of 4.6 percent and 2017 saw a 5 percent industrial growth rate. Other social issues such as gender equality will take much more time to show major results. The most important milestone came in 2013, when Mahmoon Hussain was elected president of Pakistan and Asif Ali Zardari stepped down. The role of the president of Pakistan is mostly ceremonial; however, this was the first time that a democratically elected president served a full term in Pakistan. Hopefully, with time Pakistan will begin to transition and will be seen as a pillar of stability and peace in the region rather than a place of instability and violence.
– Nick DeMarco
Photo: Flickr
Microfinance Growing Credit Access in Guatemala
Credit access in Guatemala is a make-or-break factor in determining the success of a business, regardless of its size. Credit allows businesses and their owners to make purchases that typically lie outside of their disposable income. This often includes startup costs and capital improvements; however, it can also be used for everyday expenses such as payroll.
Larger companies tend to have an easier time attracting creditors, whereas smaller businesses often have trouble, an alarming problem for a country where 60 percent of the economy is made up of small businesses.
Banks are the most common provider of credit access in Guatemala. Microlending is the main reason people turn to banks for credit access, as it allows citizens who do not have any credit history to build credit in a timely fashion. As of now, there are 24 microfinance institutions in Guatemala.
The top five microfinance institutions in Guatemala are:
However, since 2014 there has been an increase in the default rates on microloans. Rocael Garcia, manager of the microfinance firm Finca, credits this problem to people in rural areas having less ability to pay and people in the middle class having less willingness to pay.
Other, less conventional ways of acquiring credit include financial freedom, venture capital and equity investors. While some people try to acquire credit access on their own, it proves to be difficult, as the government controls 50 percent of the financial services offered in Guatemala.
Of the three unconventional methods above, venture capital is the strongest, most secure option. There is a 39 percent chance that Guatemalan entrepreneurs will successfully find venture capital. Since 2014, the amount of people looking into venture capital has steadily increased.
Equity investors are considered to be the least effective sources of credit access in Guatemala, as it is incredibly difficult to raise money by issuing shares on the stock market. To make the process even more difficult, a public offering is only allowed if it is previously registered according to the Law of Value Markets.
Credit access in Guatemala continues to be available as the country focuses on economic opportunity and financial transparency. While the distribution of income remains relatively unequal, credit access – or rather, the opportunities given to business owners who have access to credit – steadily works to even out the scale.
– Chylene Babb
Photo: Flickr
Farmer Training Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Micronesia
Agriculture is a very large part of the Micronesian economy, and the majority of its economic activity revolves around subsistence agriculture and fishing, some of the country’s main crops including breadfruit, banana, taro and yams, its main exports being fish, black pepper and betel nut.
However, despite the fruitfulness and diversity of the Micronesian food supply, local communities have little opportunities to purchase fresh produce, because the majority of produce available in Micronesia is imported and expensive. The truth is that Micronesia can improve its agricultural environment by taking advantage of adequate resources and skilled farmers to improve the situation.
Virendra Verma, a researcher and faculty member at College of Micronesia – FSM, brought up key issues surrounding sustainable agriculture in Micronesia approximately nine years ago. In his research, his most prominent suggestion was finding more effective ways for farmers to raise livestock and grow food without wasting resources. He believed the best way to do this would be to train local farmers on how to effectively use sustainable and integrated agricultural systems.
In 2009, Dr. Virendra proposed the Western SARE project On-Farm Implementation and Demonstration of Integrated Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Production Systems for Small-Scale Farmers in Micronesia, an intricate, hands-on plan that uses local resources to demonstrate integrated farming systems involving swine and crop production.
Some specific objectives of the project are as follows:
In the proposal year, this project was awarded $38,220 and approved by Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). From 2009 to December 2011, Dr. Viendra’s plan proved to be active and successful, as it resolved many concerns within Micronesian agriculture.
The program held training for agricultural professionals that focused on key concerns within the scope of food security and family well-being. Activities in the training included presentations, hands-on activities, discussions and a variety of “field trips” that covered topics such as vegetable production, chicken farming and food processing. Additionally, workshops were taught covering a wide range of topics, also focusing on food security and sustainable measures.
In total, 80 people attended training activities in Chuuk, Palau and Yap, and participation was nearly equal for males and females; 47 percent of the participants were male and 53 percent were female. Likewise, 13 percent of the program participants were agricultural extension agents and 23 percent were farmers. This diverse turnout and the information relayed through the training made this program widely successful and beneficial in terms of improving sustainable agriculture in Micronesia.
The training, workshops and presentations that shaped this program were crucial in increasing the local population’s awareness regarding the importance of implementing effective and sustainable agricultural production. Due to the training, farmers are now able to make better use of their crops, and they are able to produce at higher rates, both things that have the power to improve the Micronesian economy in the coming years.
– Alexandra Dennis
Photo: Flickr