Update: 7:34PM FOOD import dependency have become one of the major challenges faced by Small Island Developing State (SIDs) countries.
Managing director, Ram Bajekal of Flour Mills of Fiji (FMF) said it was unfortunate that small island states continued to rely heavily on food imports not native to the islands, which resulted in the change of nutrition.
�I think we have to go back to what our ancestors were eating and developing a lifestyle that is based on local foods based in the Pacific but using contemporary methods.
“The challenge is experimenting of traditional foods so we don�t have to import all types of foods. FMF is catering to a need in the market.
“If you look at our portfolio – we have many products which are going back to cassava and back to taro and making it into chips.
“We would like to move in a direction where we are producing some of these in a manner that can be easily consumed in a convenient way rather than getting all types of imported foods.�
Mr Bajekal was one of the participants at the Global Action Plan on Food Security & Nutrition in Small Island Developing States (SIDs) currently happening in Suva this week. The Global Action Plan which was facilitated by UN Food and Agriculture hopes to achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture for SIDs countries.
