16 Sep 2002

Call for Solomon Islanders to produce more of their own food

4:43 pm on 16 September 2002

An NGO in Solomon Islands says unless people relearn the skills of gardening and fishing, they could face starvation.

Abraham Beanisia, the executive director of the Solomon Islands Development Trust, says the country has become too reliant on imported foods such as rice and bread.

He says they need money to pay for these products and obtaining money is becoming increasingly difficult.

Abraham Beanisia says many young people are not interested in the traditional crops but this could be changed if they learned better ways of preparing them.

"so the preparation of food is important, but before you can prepare food you have to grow it and if you can grow the food and prepare it then perhaps you might get more people appreciating the food they produce rather than something that is difficult to purchase and to have"

Abraham Beanisia says the land and sea can become the supermarket for Solomon Islanders.