Strengthening Food Security Through Gardening!

ChildFund Kiribati, in collaboration with the Agriculture and Livestock Division (ALD), successfully conducted 19 one-day gardening training sessions in September and October bringing together 813 participants, including youth, women and men from Teinainano Urban Council (TUC), Betio Town Council and Abaiang. 

The training was part of the Food Security component of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) programme, funded by the Australian Government. It aimed to help communities strengthen food security and promote climate-resilient gardening practices, especially during El Niño periods. 

The training sessions were led by ALD staff in South Tarawa, including Betio. In Abaiang, ALD staff conducted the training with support from an Agriculture Assistant. The sessions in South Tarawa were held at various locations, including the ALD Centre in Tanaea, Te Kawai ae Boou maneaba, Banraeaba kava bar, BTC premises, Betio Priest Residence and KUC maneaba. 

In Abaiang, three community gardening training sessions were conducted across the north, central and south of the island. Training covered four villages in North Abaiang, four villages in Central Abaiang and five wards in South Abaiang, allowing communities from different parts of the island to participate. 

Each one-day training combined theory and practical sessions to help participants develop useful gardening skills. In the morning, participants learned about site selection, land preparation, plant propagation through air layering, crop husbandry, climate-smart agriculture, and pest and disease management. 

In the afternoon, participants put their learning into practice through hands-on activities, including composting (Kamkamka), seedling production (Kabwebwe), marcotting (te kawaka n te mwaanga) using plants such as mai, papaya and lime trees, and plant propagation through cuttings. 

The training provided participants with practical knowledge they can apply in their own gardens to grow more food for their households. By adopting these gardening practices, families can strengthen local food production and improve their ability to cope with challenging climate conditions, contributing to more food-secure and resilient communities across Kiribati. 

ChildFund Kiribati extends its sincere appreciation to the Australian Government, through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP), for funding this important activity. We also thank the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture Development (MELAD), through the Agriculture and Livestock Division for sharing their knowledge and expertise, and to all participants for their time, enthusiasm and commitment to learning new gardening skills.