INCREASE in fuel costs will place increased pressure on food security in rural communities, according to Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development (FRIEND) Fiji’s acting chief executive officer Viloki Gohil.
Ms Gohil said rise in fuel prices were expected to significantly affect transportation costs, especially for remote villages that relied on boats and trucks to access markets and essential supplies.
“This is definitely going to affect everything now, especially transport costs because of how remote our communities are,” she said.
Speaking to this newspaper, Ms Gohil said rural areas were most vulnerable during disasters and crisis especially at times when supply chains were disrupted.
“In a flood situation, when there is no access to town, everything is cut off. That is when food security becomes critical.”
As a result, she urged individuals, especially those living in rural communities, to do backyard gardening and communal farming.
“We are encouraging families to plant their own vegetables and root crops so they are not fully dependent on store-bought food.”
To address food security issues, she said communities were into food processing and preservation techniques.
“We are teaching them how to preserve food without preservatives so it can last longer and be used during emergencies.”
She said this approach ensured that even when transport links were affected by high fuel costs or extreme weather events, rural households still had access to nutritious food.
