Naividamu Revives Seaweed Project

Naividamu villagers of Seaqaqa in Macuata are looking forward to harvesting close to 10 tonnes of seaweed in eight weeks from their income generating project.

This is a project the villagers have revived through the assistance of the Ministry of Fisheries.

Project Rehabilitation Officer Pita Ramasima said the seaweed project was first carried out by the women of Naividamu but was destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Yasa in December last year.

Mr Ramasima said the women have been working hard to provide for their family’s livelihood.

He said the villagers relied on copra production, but decided to revive the seaweed project as a source of income.

“I decided to seek assistance from the line ministry to revive it and generate some income. The Ministry of Fisheries has assisted us with seaweed training.”

“The training has been carried out. After the training we have been able to plant 332 lines of seaweed that will produce a total of nine to ten tonnes of seaweed from Naividamu in eight weeks’ time.”

He said some other projects they were looking into are vanilla planting, beekeeping and crafts made from coconut shells along with making virgin coconut oil.

“These are all development projects to be overseen by Navau Investment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ramasima said the project would also enable families to earn and save some income to prepare their children for the next school year.

Village headman Tomasi Moli says he is looking forward to harvesting the seaweed.

He said they were utilising resources to generate more income.