Exploring Urban Agriculture Options for Fiji

Exploring Urban Agriculture Options for Fiji

Carolyn A. Campbell

Global Resource Systems

Faculty of Land and Food Systems

2007

Outline

Terminology

The Fijian Context

Research Questions & Methods

Results

Reflections

Terminology

Food SecurityAvailable, Affordable, Appropriate, Accessible, Safe, Sustainable

Sustainable Development

Urban agriculture/agroforestry

Source: Google Earth (2007)

The Fijian Context

HistoryBritish ColonizationMarket-orientated developmentLabour and LandPolitical instability

PeopleIndo-FijianIndian FijianOthers

The Fijian Context

Urbanization

Diet Colonization

Food Insecurity

Ecocultural change

Research Questions

Is there a need to supply food grown in urban environments for urban consumption?

What urban agriculture strategies could be employed in urban Fiji?

Methods

In determining a need for urban agriculture:

Basic trade statistics

Food Balance sheets

Health indicators

Government legislation, programs and policies

In suggesting strategies and forecasting drawbacks and benefits

Case studies

Is there a need for UA in Suva?

Home Gardens widespread?

Gardening on 70% “unused” in 1993

So why look into urban agriculture?

Source: Thaman (1993)

Foreign Trade, BOP and External DebtTrade balance (Customs data, US$million) -266.1 -413.8 -630.2 -742.0 -754.2 -671.0Exports of goods (Customs data, US$million) 533.7 649.3 655.6 719.6 746.1 853.2

(% change, previous year) 5.4 21.7 1.0 9.8 3.7 14.4Key export: Sugar (% change in value, previous year) 8.4 11.3 0.4 9.4 -9.6 -16.3Imports of goods (Customs data, US$million) 799.9 1063.1 1285.8 1461.7 1500.3 1524.2

(% change, previous year) 3.4 32.9 20.9 13.7 2.6 1.6Current account balance (US$million) -2.7 -174.3 -448.3 -465.9 -384.7 -254.3

(percent GDP) -0.2 -8.0 -17.4 -17.1 -13.2 -8.2Foreign direct investment (US$million) 19.7 22.7 91.0 -14.1 .. ..Total external debt (US$million) 281 357 357 353 .. ..

(% GDP) 15.7 16.4 13.8 12.9 .. ..Short-term debt (US$million) 36.7 86.1 75.3 75.3 .. ..Debt service ratio (% exports of g&s) 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.8 .. ..Reserves, including gold (US$million) 359 424 478 315 249 ..

(months of imports of goods and non factor services) 3.6 3.1 3.8 3.9 2.8 ..

2002 2003 2004 2005 /e 2006 /p 2007/p

Year Year Year Year Year Year

Source: World Bank (Nov 2006)

Is there a need for UA in Suva?Trade Statistics

Is there a need for UA in Suva?Current Events

Job loss

Floods - increase in market food prices

Is there a need for UA in Suva?Current Events

Major Causes of Death Total (2003)

23%

19%

11%8%

7%

12%

8%

5%1%

6%

Disease of the CirculatorySystem Signs, Symptoms and Ill-definedconditions Hypertensive Disease

Ischaemic Heart Disease

Acute Myocardial Infarction

Diabetes Mellitus

Cerebrovascular Disease

Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndromeand Nephrosis Malignant Neoplasms

Pneumonia

Is there a need for UA in Suva? Indicators of Health

Source: Fiji Bureau of Statistics

Is there a need for UA in Suva? Urbanization and Overweight Prevalences

Source: WHO

Is there a need for UA in Suva? Trends in Dietary Consumption

Dietary Energy Consumption (kcal/person/day)

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

1969-1971 1979-1981 1990-1992 1995-1997 2001-2003provisional

2002-2004preliminary

Year

kcal/person/day

AustraliaCanadaCubaFiji IslandsNew ZealandSolomon IslandsVanuatu

Source: FAO STAT

Source: WHO

Is there a need for UA in Suva? What’s Changed?

Where have all the roots gone?

Source: WHO (2003)

Is there a need for UA in Suva? Policy Change

Import Substitution

Sector-led

2001 - Indigenous Fijian Village focus

No urban agriculture polices - part of the informal sector

Reflection - Is Urban Agriculture Needed in Suva?

Not necessarily, but it could be a powerful tool

Government could promote increase in vegetable production in rural areas instead

Need to address health trends


Benefits for SuvaEconomic

Increase terms of trade

Potential support the informal sector

Employment

Income generation

Enhances food securityAccess, availability, affordability, appropriate, safe, sustainable


Health BenefitsAffordable healthy food

Lifestyle alteration

Increasing traditional foods - healthier

Social benefitsCultural awareness and tolerance

Regain traditional knowledge

What could UA look like in Suva? Models

How can UA fit into Suva?

Home GardensDemonstrations

Solomon Islands - Ministry of Health

Fruit Gleaning

Securing creation of community gardens

What could UA look like in Suva? Models

Hotel GardensShowcasing traditional gardens

City farms supplying low income areas

Cuba

Latin America

Closing Reflections

Opportunity to re-think how we use our urban space

Opportunity to use urban centres as places for re-valuing and regaining traditional knowledge

Opportunity to change urban dietary habits and lifestyles

References

Earthtrends (2003): “Agriculture and Food - Fiji” Earthtrends Country Profile. Accessed from http://earthtrends.wri.org

FAO (2003). The WTO Agreement on Agriculture: The Implementation Experience - Developing Country Case Studies http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4632E/y4632e0d.htm

Sharma KL, (2006). “Food Security in the South Pacific Island Countries with Special Reference to the Fiji Islands.” World Institute for Development Economic Research. United Nations University.

Batibasaqa, K, Overton, J, Horsely, P, (1999). “Vanua: Land People and Culture in Fiji” ch 8 in, Strategies for Sustainable Development: Experiences form the Pacific. New York: Zed Books.

Kuhlken, R, (2002). “Intensive Agriculture Landscapes of Oceania.” Journal of Cultural Geography. 19(2):161-195.

Overton, J, Murray, W, Ali, I, (1999). “Commodity Production and Unsustainable Agriculture” ch 13 in, Strategies for Sustainable Development: Experiences form the Pacific. New York: Zed Books.

Schultz, JT, (2004). “Globalization, Urbanisation and nutrition transition in a developing island country: a case study in Fiji” in Globalization of Food Systems in Developing Countries: Impact on Food Security and Nutrition (pp.195-214). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Sharma, KL, (2006). “Food Security in the South Pacific Island Countries with Special Reference to the Fiji Islands.” World Institute for Development Economic Research. United Nations University.

Thaman, RR, (1982). “Deterioration of traditional food systems, increasing malnutrition and food dependency in the Pacific Islands.” Journal of Food and Nutrition. 39(3):109-121.

Thaman, RR, (1993). “Pacific Island urban agroforestry” ch 7 in Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.

World Health Organization (2003). “Diet, Food Supply and Obesity in the South Pacific.” Regional office for the Western Pacific. Accessed from: http://www.wpro.who.int/publications/pub_9260610441.htm

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4632E/y4632e0d.htm

Undergoing Undergrad Research - My MURC Experience

Understanding the contexts of the South Pacific before I travel

Getting lost in the data

Stress and Time

Exploring Urban Agriculture Options for Fiji

Business

Transcript of Exploring Urban Agriculture Options for Fiji