Root crop planting programme a 'God Send' for Aitutaki during the Covid19 lockdown
By Florence Syme-Buchanan
A root crop planting programme in Aitutaki started ten months ago by Amuri/Ureia MP Terepai Maoate is providing staples for the entire island that’s been in lockdown since March.
Originally the planting was to produce enough root crops for the 2021 bicentennial celebrations of the arrival of Christianity to the island.
“With what has happened the world over and the island in indefinite lockdown, no revenue from tourism for an unknown time, the plantations have proven a God-send for our island at this time,” says Maoate.
There have been two more planting phases since the first taro, tarua, kumara and maniota were planted almost a year ago and privately funded by Maoate – the most recent just before Aitutaki and the rest of the Pa Enua went into lockdown. Harvesting of the first crop started earlier this year.
“The idea now is a community planting programme that growers take ownership of, is monitored by the ministry of Agriculture to ensure the plots are being managed properly and feeds households on the island.”
Over 50 households are involved in the programme initiated by Maoate. Each household has a quarter acre plot.
In October the programme expanded to include vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumber, pak choy with assistance from Agriculture providing seedlings and irrigation with water tanks and pumps.
“It’s been very successful; we were harvesting tomatoes and cucumbers in summer which is unusual being off-season for these veges.”
Maoate this week arranged for a further supply of seedlings from Agriculture to be freighted to Aitutaki.
“With our root crops well underway we are focusing on households starting and managing their own home gardens to feed themselves, what surplus they have can be shared or exchanged for fish and the like. It a really good community system and it works.”
Maoate says Aitutaki Agriculture division has a three-year standing agreement with each grower to make sure they each utilise land well and manage their plots successfully. “In exchange the growers get the assistance they need, seedlings, advice and irrigation.”
“We are grateful for the support we are receiving from Agriculture main office for our next phase to plant more root crops, they have offered the very valuable service of helping clear land in readiness for planting.”
“But we haven’t stopped at community planting, we are also doing group netting from time to time and the catch is shared amongst village households.”
Maoate stressed that in a time of world uncertainty and household incomes affected by the economic impact of Covid-19, Aitutaki has to be self-sufficient – “We are showing that we don’t have to rely on the outside world to put food on our tables, we just have to work hard, work together because we are all in this together.”
