FAO and BOA kick-start Palau agritourism project

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Bureau of Agriculture (BOA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment held a series of workshops to support women groups and livestock farmers. On March 17 to 18 the inception workshop for the project titled “Empowering women in the agrifood systems of Palau: Bridging tradition and sustainability through gender equality” was held. The event convened a total of 28 persons (21 women and 7 men) from government agencies, non-government organizations and the private sector, with particular focus on women groups of West Babeldaob. Over the course of two, half-day workshops in Koror, workshop participants discussed identifying and prioritizing high potential food value chains, developing local food tours, linkages of the agriculture sector to the national tourism strategy, aligning organic farming standards to the hospitality sector, support to day and night markets and planning for a gender awareness event in June.

Out of the discussions a short-list of feasible project activities was produced and endorsed by the workshop participants. Discussions also organically mentioned youth inclusion to bridge the growing knowledge and labor gap in Palauan farming. The workshop concluded with an organic-farm certified farm visit located at Medorm, Aimeliik, with FAO Natural Resources Officer Ms. Malia Talakai. This short-term initiative funded by the Government of Ireland, channelled through the FAO Mountain Partnership Secretariat based in Rome, and implemented through the FAO Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific Islands based in Samoa, is a follow-up action to the 2020-2022 project titled “Empowering women in food systems and strengthening the local capacities and resilience of SIDS in the agrifood sector”.

FAO and BOA would like to thank the following groups and partners for their active participation contributing to the success of this event: Bngalakesol (Ngeremlengui), Maltreng (Aimeliik), Ngaraungiang (Ngaraard), Ngesechel a Sils ra R’Belchorl Ngara Yolt (Ngaraard), Ngaramengidab (Ngatpang), Palau Organic Growers Association, MHHS Department of Environmental Health, MHRCTD Bureau of Tourism, MOF Bureau of Budget and Planning, National Youth and Cheldebechel Council, Palau Community Action Agency, Palau Chamber of Commerce, Friends of PNMS, RARE, EGAI Palau, Palau Pacific Resort, Carp Island Resort, UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office of Micronesia in Palau.

Written by FAO Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific Islands