Income Generation from Yaqeta Seaweed Farm Fiji Hub Achievement Report October 2014 Objective: Income Generation In September 2014 seaweed farmers in the Northern Yasawas made their first sale to a Seaweed exporter. Since 2013 GVI have worked alongside the Fiji Ministry of Fisheries and the local community of Yaqeta Village to help create, maintain and harvest the Yaqeta seaweed farm. This pilot project has successfully created an alternative income source for 15 families in the region.

Throughout 2014 community members in the Northern Yasawas have worked hard to ensure that seaweed farming became a viable alternative livelihood for their families. The type of seaweed being farmed is Kappaphycus Alvarezzi which produces carrageenan, a gelling and setting agent. The global demand for this type of seaweed greatly outstrips supply, with China requiring 3000 tonnes per month. During 2013, GVI and the Ministry of Fisheries collaborated to create a seaweed nursery and model farm in the Nacula Tikina, close to Yaqeta and Vuaki villages. The support and guidance provided by this partnership has facilitated the development of seaweed farming as a local industry within the district. The volcanic islands of the Yasawas Islands have limited natural water catchment potential and continue to experience an increasingly long dry season which has impacted both water security and the viability of localised agriculture. With coral health noticeably declining resulting in reduced fish stocks the viability of the traditional Yasawan livelihoods based around fishing have

7.7 tonnes of seaweed harvested

income received by 15 farmers and their families

296 volunteer hours contributed by GVI

been negatively impacted. Seaweed cultivation in the shallow lagoons of the Yasawas has strong potential to emerge as a commercially viable alternative livelihood option.

The Yaqeta cluster farm is a group of small farms averaging around 400 lines of seaweed each and is one of around 21 reported Seaweed farms in Fiji. Over time, more and more potential farmers have wanted to get involved and the cooperative is now made up of 15 farmers across 2 villages. In order to get started, these farmers were provided with cuttings of seaweed from the nursery and, with GVIs help, these were then used to create seaweed lines. The Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry set the goal of establishing 3000 lines by June 2014, so during the spring months GVI worked alongside farmers and their families to create the additional seaweed lines needed. After a busy few months this target was achieved and there are now approximately 3000 lines in the Yaqeta cluster.

GVI volunteers visited the seaweed farm weekly in order to oversee the maintenance and provide assistance with the labour required. GVIs work on the seaweed farms has therefore strengthened our presence in the region and relationship with Vuaki and Yaqeta villages and with the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry.

Figure 1 Left, GVI volunteers transport the harvest to shore, Right, dried seaweed is weighed and prepped for sale

Out of the fifteen farmers in the cooperative, twelve harvested in July and August 2014. The seaweed was then dried in the sun and packed into sacks. In September a buyer from the Chinese firm Wikong Marine Seafood Exports visited the villages to inspect the seaweed crop and agreed to buy all the produce from the farms. The price of Seaweed from the farm has been increased from $0.9/kg to $1 per kg.

Statistics from the first sale:

Average bag weight 30-40kg Tonnage sold to date 7.7 Average earnings 900FJD per farmer

Many of the farmers were subsisting on less than 5000FJD per annum which is below the poverty line. Both men and women have been involved in the cultivation and upkeep of the farm and this new income generation alternative to fishing has added a further sustainable and accessible means for sustaining remote island communities.

Seaweed farming requires little technical knowledge but a lot of man-power when tying lines and harvesting. At the beginning of this initiative, GVI volunteers provided some of this man-power on a weekly basis, helping to promote the project and establish a weekly system of upkeep. Now that the farms are lucrative, more people are becoming interested which has enabled the Yaqeta cluster farm to become self-sufficient. The villagers that have been involved from day one have seen the method from start to finish, from line establishment to harvest. These villagers now have the ability to continue seaweed farming and it is hoped that the villagers will share the knowledge and encourage the practice in other areas of the region.

Figure 2 An Impressive boat load of seaweed is transported to shore for drying

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For more information on GVIs projects in Fiji please visit www.gvi.co.uk For more information on our global impact visit www.gviworld.com To make a donation to our water security projects in Fiji please visit www.gvi.org for more details