Bio-digester brings relief to villagers

WITH COP27 currently underway in Egypt, the European Union keeps leading by example by allocating 23 billion euros ($F53.1b) to climate finance and implementing a climate law to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

EU ambassador to Fiji Sujiro Seam said this while addressing people on Koro Island during a recent visit.

FETCHING firewood and saving money to buy kerosene or cooking gas is a thing of the past for the women of Nasau Village on Koro Island as they can now source bio-gas from their new bio-digester.

Funded by the European Union and implemented by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the bio-digester will source its bio-mass from a new piggery also provided by the two organisations.

Vasiti Cokoganasiga, a villager, said they were grateful to the EU and ADRA for the timely assistance.

“The women used to wake up early and collect firewood from the forest, kerosene and gas are too expensive so firewood used to be our only option,” she said.

“Through the bio-gas we do not have to go far to get firewood, we do not have to spend money. It has made life easier for us ladies in the village.”

According to Ms Cokoganasiga, the village women were planning to put the new system to good use by starting their own bakery.

“The bakery will also assist us as we will earn some income from the proposed bakery, which will greatly assist our individual families.

“We plan to share the income from the bakery and support our families. As the price of food is increasing, some extra income would greatly benefit us.”

Plans for the new bakery are well underway and construction is expected to start soon.

“However, global pledges are only as good as they can make a difference in real life,” he said.

“The EU recognises the severity of the negative impact of climate change in the Pacific.”

Together with partners such as ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) and Rotary Pacific, the EU has implemented projects on Koro Island to support climate-smart agriculture, green incomegenerating activities, circular economy, and water, sanitation and empowerment of vulnerable communities.

A three-year Learning Environmental Adaptation for Development (LEAD) project implemented by ADRA was focused on identifying possible solutions for supporting the transition to an economy that was climate resilient, circular and led to low carbon emissions.

This was done by building capacities of both local CSOs and community members.

A delegation comprising members of civil society organisations, traditional leaders, government officials, representatives from the private sector and EU reps met with communities on Koro Island who were beneficiaries of EU development co-operation support.

The delegation arrived on the island to visit sites of the EUfunded projects, including LEAD by CSOs implemented by ADRA, and the Building Community Resilience to Climate Change (CRCC) through Civil Society Action co-ordinated by Rotary Pacific Water for Life Foundation.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Write to us at letters@fijitimes.com.fj to share

your views on this topic