21 Jan 2009

Fiji food security seen as post-flood priority

4:00 pm on 21 January 2009

A women's network FEMLINK Pacific says ensuring Fiji's future food security must be a top priority in the relief effort for flood affected victims.

FEMLINK's Sharon Bhagwan Rolls says they've had reports that food is being rationed out in areas worst affected by last week's flooding on Viti Levu, and many affected are women and children.

She says feeding people in the coming days and months is going to become more difficult, particularly for rural communities, as many key farms and food gardens have been wiped out.

"Food security is going to be a big issue for all families, yknow from a nutritional perspective. But also the fact that where the flood has hit there has been very important farming communities so crops have been devastated so there's going to be a real need to support the food drive or particularly the rehabilitation of crops and plantations."

Sharon Bhagwan Rolls says food crops will take a long time to recover, so authorities must come up with a plan of action now, to ensure families have enough to eat.