Coconut nectar production on Rabi
THE rich aroma of freshly cooked kamaimai, or coconut nectar, permeates through the home of Takaniko and Nau Ruabete in Buakonikai Village on Rabi Island. Cooking kamaimai is a daily activity for the couple, who make the sweet syrup by extracting the sap of coconut blossoms through a process known as toddy tapping.
Toddy tapping is a traditional practice for Banabans, also known as the people of Banaba or Ocean Island.
Banabans settled on Rabi Island in 1945 following displacement caused by phosphate mining on Banaba. Many decades later, toddy tapping continues to serve Banaban families like the Ruabetes who generate income from selling coconut nectar and other coconut derived products. Suvabased company Marama Niu sources kamaimai from Rabi to make its popular coconut cream based ice creams, using the kamaimai (which has a lower glycaemic index) as a healthier alternative to processed cane sugar.
The Australia and New Zealand supported Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program began working with Marama Niu in 2023 to strengthen the company's supply chain on Rabi by boosting production of kamaimai on the island, improving food safety and hygiene standards, and establishing a centralised collection point on the island.
A team from PHAMA Plus including an experienced food technologist along with Marama Niu co-founder Kylie Daunoco recently visited Rabi to identify new kamaimai suppliers and to provide training on fermentation, food safety, and bottling and storage methods.
The team also introduced new equipment and methods for use in the extraction of coconut sap and to test the quality of the cooked nectar.
The renewed attention on this age-old practice has come at just the right time. Takaniko, 64, said toddy tapping had declined over the years with many Banabans leaving the island seeking education and employment.
Economic, infrastructural and environmental factors have also contributed to the decline. "I began tapping toddy when I was just 10 years old," he said.
"When I was young, every household in Rabi possessed the knowledge of producing the syrup.
However, that knowledge had gradually faded away in recent years."
With PHAMA Plus support, Marama Niu has ramped up toddy tapping on the island on a commercial scale, with the growing demand for kamaimai providing sustainable income opportunities for Banaban families.