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By Mareta Tawake Department of Information Kaurosi Paulo is a middle aged man from the village of Itumuta, which is a 15mins drive from Ahau where the Government station is situated in Rotuma. In fact what is appeasing to this 45 year old chap is the revival of seaweed farming undertaken by the Fisheries Department in Rotuma since May, which had left many like him delighted and somewhat reinvigorated at the prospect of farming the weed. "I am really happy with the revamping of the sea weed farming in Itumuta, especially when there is an abundance of sea weed in the bay. "Sea weed farming offers another opportunitiy not only for me but for the rest of the commuters at Itumuta. "It would be a source of income to many of us so we just want to thank the Government for its continuous support especially to people like us living in remote and rural areas," Paulo said. In early 1999, Itumuta which is renowned for friendliness of its villagers pioneered the establishment of seaweed farming on Rotuma, which somehow suffered a natural death because of lack of support and neglect. In May this year, when a group of Fisheries officials led by Aminio Raimuria visited the island, it didn't struck their mind that this trip would result in a revitalization of the seaweed farming. Raimuria being Senior Fisheries Officer Eastern discovered the abundance of seaweed in particular at Itumuta bay which made them rethink the potential of revamping farming of seaweed there. "We will try our best to teach this people on how to go about seaweed farming. In particular, we'll teach them about the drying of seaweed," Mr. Raimuria said. Sea weed farming is an initiative of the Capture Section within Fisheries Department aimed at providing self employment to those who were willing to take up the opportunity. This is what as Paulo explained a prime example of a Government program that adds value to the people lives in Itumuta in extra earnings and generating more revenue for the local economy. "The rural sector is considered as one of the poorest sectors of our economy, yet its resources are bountiful and under utilised with potentials to earn millions of dollars. Paulo openly declares his appreciation to the Department of Fisheries for this Governments initiative. "Our association with the Government was quite helpful and it has taught us a lot of things," Paulo said. However, Paulo said the people of Itumuta has a long way to go. Raimuria said with the abundance of sea weed and its market potential will take the people of Itumuta to new heights provided they follow the right steps on their sea weed farms. He noted confidently that the current 400-500 people invovled in sea weed farming could increased as the Fisheries Department introduces it to other places in Fiji especially in Vanua levu. Other places in which seaweed farming has already began includes the Yatu Lau, Kadavu and at the moment Rotuma. "This project if utilised properly by people of Itumuta would help them sustain village life as the money earned from selling the sea weeds belonged to them. Raimuria said that much interest has been shown by the widers community which sea weed farming has been introduced, so the Fisheries Department is looking at developing sea weed farming from a project level to an industry level. Maketing is not a problem as the buyer, Island Tropical Seafood has assured the fisheries department and sea weed farmers that transporation costs (freight) would be paid by the buyer. So this should be an encouragement to the people of Itumuta and all those planning to embark on sea weed farming. It’s being sold for $.70c a kg which is $700 per tonne. -Ends- |
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