Vitawa villagers in Ra are paving the way in building successful shrimp farms for mass production.
The village is part of a pilot aquaculture farm projected assisted by the USAID under its Pacific American Fund which boasts a $US350,000 ($F814,000) financing pool for rural food security projects.
Breeding 10,000 shrimp larvae, the villagers were able to harvest their first stock during the holiday season.
Recognising their effort, USAID Pacific Islands Mission director Zema Semunegus highlighted the critical role of partnerships with universities and other like-minded donors in driving local solutions to improve community livelihoods.
“This partnership between the Vitawa community, the University of Fiji, USAID, and the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) has strengthened food security, generated income, and equipped community members with entrepreneurial skills for long-term sustainable solutions,” said Ms Semunegus.
“This initiative goes beyond improving livelihoods — it empowers families to invest in their futures, from sending their children to school to meeting other essential needs.
“It exemplifies how innovation and collaboration can transform lives and create lasting impact.”
Providing technical support, the University of Fiji also acknowledged the community’s commitment towards the project.
UniFiji quality assurance director, Deepak Lal said academia had an important part to play in offering technical expertise for communities to thrive.
“This project reflects UniFiji’s commitment to giving back and serving communities, particularly in areas where the need is greatest,” he said.
Officiating at the event Minister for Fisheries, Alitia Bainivalu said communities such as Vitawa Village recognised the need for legislation to encourage rural community development.
She said this was reflected in the recently passed Aquaculture Bill which was established to advance Fiji’s aquaculture sector.
