Page 6 - aruba-today-20201229

A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 29 december 2020

Amid pandemic, Pacific islands work to offset food shortages

By VICTORIA MILKO chasing power of the con-
Associated Press sumers, which has gone
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) down,” Hibi said.
— Coronavirus infections In Tuvalu, the government
have barely touched many held workshops teach-
of the remote islands of the ing youth indigenous food
Pacific, but the pandemic’s production methods such
fallout has been enormous, as taro planting and sap
disrupting the supply chain collection from coconut
that brings crucial food im- trees. In Fiji, the govern-
ports and sending prices ment extended fishing
soaring as tourism wanes. season of coral trout and
With a food crisis loom- grouper that could be sold
ing, many governments for income or used as food.
have begun community Numerous governments
initiatives to help alleviate encouraged residents to
shortages: extending fish- move back to rural areas
ing seasons, expanding in- that had stronger indepen-
digenous food gathering dent food resources.
lessons and bolstering seed Tevita Ratucadre and his
distribution programs that wife moved back to a ru-
allow residents greater self- ral village in Fiji to save on
reliance. rent and food costs after
“We initially started with This July 2020 photo provided by Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture shows staff members of the Suva being laid off from the ho-
5,000 seeds and thought Christian School, Louisa John, left, and her colleague working in their garden in Suva, Fiji. tel where they worked be-
Associated Press
we would finish them in nine cause of COVID-19.
months’ time. But there was nancial investment,” Waqa island countries and territo- When the pandemic hit, In the city, “you have to
a very big response, and collected buckets, crates ries have seen their popu- nearly all the countries buy everything with mon-
we finished distributing the and other potential plant- lations shift from traditional in the region closed their ey, even if you have to
seeds in one week,” said ers discarded on the side of agriculture-based work to borders. Shipping supply put food on the table,”
Vinesh Kumar, head of op- the road and in the trash. tourism. The trend has cre- chains — including fertilizer Ratucadre said. “In the vil-
eration for Fiji’s Agriculture Soon her yard transformed ated an increased reliance for farms and food — were lage you can grow your
Ministry. into containers of green on imported food such as disrupted, causing prices to own things.”
The project provides resi- beans, cucumber, cab- corned beef, noodles and rise. In Suva, Fiji, the cost of Having watched his par-
dents with vegetable bage and other produce. other highly processed some fresh fruits and veg- ents farm when he was a
seeds, saplings and basic “When I started harvesting foods instead of the tradi- etables rose by up to 75% child, Ratucadre said he
farming equipment to help about two, three weeks tional diet of locally grown during the first weeks. was able to remember how
them grow their own home later, that’s when I realized: items like nutrient-rich yams At same time, tourism — to plant and grow cassava
gardens. My gosh, this is a hobby and taro. which Hibi said accounts stems from a neighbor. He
Fiji resident Elisabeta Waqa people have had for so Eriko Hibi, director of the for up to 70% of some coun- now grows enough food for
said she had contem- long. I thought about just Food and Agriculture Or- tries’ gross domestic prod- his family, he said.
plated starting a garden how much money I could ganization of the United uct — came to a halt, leav- “When I used to work, I
before the pandemic, but save my doing this,” Waqa Nations Liaison Office in ing thousands unemployed used to buy whatever I
-- with no job, extra time at said. Japan, called the shift a with decreased access to wanted to eat when I’d
home and seeds from the Geographically isolated “triple burden” of health is- food. go to the supermarket,” he
ministry and friends -- finally with limited arable land sues: undernutrition, micro- “It’s not just about the said. “Now I have to plant
took action. and increased urbaniza- nutrient deficiencies and availability of the prices in and eat whatever I’ve
Looking to have “zero fi- tion, many of the Pacific obesity. the market but also the pur- planted.” q

Protests erupt against new Montenegro govt over religion law

ing “Treason,” protesters the church of its property, cratic Party of Socialists,
gathered outside the par- which the previous govern- steered Montenegro away
liament building in Pod- ment denied. The church from the influence of Ser-
gorica, the capital, where led months of protests that bia and Russia. The Adriatic
lawmakers plan to discuss helped strengthen the nation joined NATO in 2017
the proposed changes. The opposition ahead of the and is seeking European
demonstration was the first election. Montenegro de- Union membership.
major protest in the small clared independence from Participants at Monday’s
Balkan country against a union with Serbia follow- demonstration blasted the
the coalition government ing a 2006 referendum. new government’s plan to
that came to power after The country’s residents revoke parts of the religious
People shout slogans during a protest against the new the opposition won a slim remain divided over rela- law dealing with property.
government in Podgorica, Montenegro, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. majority over a long-ruling tions with Belgrade. Some They accused the govern-
Associated Press
pro-Western party during 30% of Montenegrins iden- ment of setting the stage
PODGORICA, Montenegro Serb because of its plans to an August parliamentary tify themselves as Serbs, for the “occupation” of
(AP) — Several thousand amend a religious property election. The religious prop- and the Serbian Orthodox Montenegro. It was not
people rallied Monday law that is strongly opposed erty law was an issue in the Church enjoys the biggest immediately clear when
in Montenegro, accusing by the Serbian Orthodox election. The Serbian Or- following of any organized the parliamentary vote on
the young country’s new Church. Carrying Mon- thodox Church alleged the religion. The previous gov- amending the law will take
government of being pro- tenegrin flags and chant- law was designed to strip ernment, led by the Demo- place. q