Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Tuvalu asks for more SPC help with food security

Posted at 03:12 on 15 November, 2012 UTC

A senior government official from Tuvalu has asked the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to continue providing assistance to enhance the country’s food security.

Last year’s drought had a severe impact on Tuvalu’s ability to grow fruit and vegetables, while some of the atolls are already experiencing saltwater intrusion.

A senior official in the Tuvalu Prime Minister’s office, Temate Melitiana, has told the annual meeting of the SPC’s governing body in Noumea that Tuvalu values the regional body’s help.

The SPC’s Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees has been providing Tuvalu and other island countries with planting material that is tolerant to drought, salt and water-logging.

This year plants such as banana, cassava, swamp taro, sweet potato, taro and yam have been sent to 18 Pacific Island countries and territories from the SPC’s so called climate ready collection.