Apenisa Waqairadovu 
[Photo: SUPPLIED]
The Nabouono community in Udu, Macuata is using livestock farming to improve food security while helping reduce pressure on Fiji’s sea turtle populations.
Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Sakiusa Tubuna says the project shows how community-led development can strengthen livelihoods while protecting the environment.
The initiative was developed as an alternative source of meat for traditional gatherings, reducing the community’s reliance on harvesting sea turtles.
The project received 20,000 US dollars through the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, with support from WWF Fiji and other partners.
It began with 13 cows and one bull in 2024, with the herd growing to 20 cattle by November last year following the birth of six calves.
Tubuna says the project demonstrates that conservation works best when communities have practical alternatives to activities that place pressure on natural resources.
He has particularly praised the Veilomani Women’s Club for leading the initiative and says the next challenge is to turn the project into a sustainable community enterprise.
