Women participate in coconut training project
Suva (Fiji’s Daily Post/PINA Nius Online) – The training of women and entrepreneurs from Pacific countries on value added processing of coconut products has now been endorsed, Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture said.
It came as the Asia-Pacific Coconut Community meeting at the Fiji Mocambo Hotel, Nadi, ended.
The training aims at enhancing the livelihood and income generating activities in the rural coconut communities, especially in Pacific countries. The ministry said it would equip the target participants, who are women and young entrepreneurs, with the knowledge and skills in the processing of food and non-food products from the coconut.
To be cost efficient, the ministry said the training would be conducted by a team of two specialists in coconut product processing. It also said the training activities would be done in the various Pacific countries to enable more participants to attend.
Millions of farmers around the world depend on coconuts and it transcends the boundaries of race, religion, creed and politics, Fiji’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Kaliopate Tavola said while closing the session.
He said we are witnessing some of the lowest copra and coconut oil prices in 15 years because of the sizable production and stocks of palm and palm kernel oil, accumulated stocks in the hands of consumers and the low demand from India and China.
