Fisheries

Improving nutrition through women’s and men’s engagement across the seaweed food chain in Kiribati and Samoa

Image
Seaweed farm in Pacific ocean
Project code
FIS/2019/125
Program
Budget
AUD 249,827
Research program manager
Prof Ann Fleming
Project leader
Dr Libby Swanepoel
Commissioned organisation
University of the Sunshine Coast
Duration:
OCT 2020
FEB 2023
Project status
Legally committed/Active
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Overview

This project aims to develop gender-inclusive seaweed development activities for long term health, income and wellbeing in coastal communities of Kiribati and Samoa.

Gender inclusive, nutrition-sensitive agriculture ensures the sustainable production of nutritious, affordable and safe foods to meet the dietary requirements of populations. There is an opportunity to transform seaweed fisheries as part of a nutrition-sensitive coastal food system comprised of short supply chains, village-based processing, targeted sustainable use of natural resources and marketing for family consumption. This project will develop and evaluate gender-inclusive activities in two Pacific countries, Kiribati and Samoa, to shift the focus of seaweed production from an export commodity only to one that provides direct benefits to the health and wellbeing of local communities as well as income opportunities for women.

Project outcomes

  • Defining the elements of Pacific seaweed food systems for improved nutrition outcomes.
  • Understanding the barriers to, and enablers of, men’s and women’s economic empowerment through the seaweed food chain.   
  • Designing a framework for equitable empowerment of men and women within seaweed harvester families.
Map
Image
Map-of-Kiribati-Samoa
Key partners
University of the Sunshine Coast