From the 16th to the 20th of February community representatives from Viwa Vatoa and Namuka participated in a 5-day Business Basics, Basic Seafood Safety to Post-Harvest Handling and Cooperative Development Training held on Viwa Island in the Tikina o Bau.
The training was organized by the Women in Fisheries Network – Fiji in collaboration with ANZ Fiji, and the Department of Cooperatives under the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development.
The training was aimed at strengthening participants practical knowledge in business planning to strengthen community-led enterprises and sustainable livelihoods, strengthening seafood safety practices, enhancing cooperative models, and building resilient livelihoods for Fiji’s coastal communities. Seafood product development serves as a critical catalyst for the sustainable blue economy by transforming raw marine resources into high-value, shelf-stable goods, thereby reducing post-harvest losses and alleviating pressure on overexploited nearshore stocks. In the Pacific context, women are responsible for approximately 70% to 80% of the catch in nearshore fisheries, yet their contributions have historically been undervalued in formal economic statistics. By engaging in value-added processing such as the production of smoked fish, and bottled kaikoso (in the case of Viwa) – women transition from subsistence harvesters to active entrepreneurs in the blue economy.
WiFN-Fiji extends its appreciation to the Tailevu Provincial Council for its invaluable guidance and support, the Government of Canada – for funding this initiative through Alinea International, Mr. Taito Rauluni and Ms. Vani Sikiti from ANZ Fiji, Ms. Salaiwalu Kaikoso from the Department of Cooperative under the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development and our technical expert Ms. Sera Vaniqi of the The University of the South Pacific for the wide breadth of knowledge and skills they shared with the participants.
Slowly ferociously together.
