https://fiji.wcs.org RSS feeds for WCS Fiji 60 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15918/WCS-strengthens-partnership-with-Ministry-of-Agriculture.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15918 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15918&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15918/WCS-strengthens-partnership-with-Ministry-of-Agriculture.aspx On 17 March 2021, the Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program (WCS Fiji) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture to collectively advance and promote the sustainable agricultural practices and wise land-use planning as integral components of social and economic development in Fiji. The agreement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ritesh Dass and the WCS Fiji Country Program Director Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters in Raiwaqa, Suva.The Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture, Ritesh Dass and the Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai sign the Memorandum of Understanding. ©Arishma Devi/WCS The partnership serves as a significant platform for WCS Fiji to work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture on its latest multi-stakeholder project - Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji). The WISH Fiji project aims to work with 29 communities across Bureta (on Ovalau Island), Dama (Bua Province), Dawasamu and Waibula (Tailevu Province) and Upper Navua (Namosi Province) sub-catchments to implement a range of interventions focused on water and sanitation storage, infrastructure and maintenance, hygiene, agriculture and best land-use practices. These interventions are aimed at promoting wise environmental practices to enable healthier and well-functioning ecosystems which can further contribute to the good health of the people. During the official signing of the agreement, Mr Dass said, “It’s an opportune time for agencies to collaborate and derive synergies in areas of mutual interest and today marks the beginning of that collaboration through which we can reach our collective desired objectives. “In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the WCS will work closely with our Land Use Division for sustainable land-use, education and training, Conservation Agricultural planning and soil health management, and climate change adaptation programs,” Mr Dass said.The staff and senior executives of Wildlife Conservation Society and the Ministry of Agriculture after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding  in Suva. ©Arishma Devi/WCS On this occasion, Dr Mangubhai said WCS Fiji was looking to take the WISH Fiji project forward with the Ministry. She added that both agencies had goals that were closely aligned and while the event today was about natural resource management it was also important to think about economic development, how to support livelihoods, and food security for the local people. The WCS Melanesia Director, Dr Stacy Jupiter, welcomed the opportunity to expand the collaboration to work across the sub-catchments with the WISH Fiji project and beyond over the next few years. Dr Jupiter said, “The interventions that we are trying to put in place in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture is not just to improve downstream water quality, it is also to try and improve soil conservation which will ultimately increase the productivity of agriculture to support the food security across Fiji.” This WISH Fiji project is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. WISH Fiji embraces an integrated approach by working with national and local government, rural communities and the commercial sector in Fiji to take a systems approach to health and well-being through focused action within five river sub-catchments with documented cases of typhoid, leptospirosis and dengue fever. adevi@wcs.org Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:19:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15918 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15783/WISH-Fiji-prepares-MoHMS-staff-for-water-quality-assessment-post-TC-Yasa.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15783 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15783&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15783/WISH-Fiji-prepares-MoHMS-staff-for-water-quality-assessment-post-TC-Yasa.aspx Access to clean drinking water is critical to public health. Natural disasters such as flooding and cyclones often reduce the ​quality of drinking water. Heavy rain and flooding can cause contamination of water from livestock waste, human sewage, harmful chemicals and fertilisers. Once contaminated, drinking water can become a hazard to human health and efficiently transmit deadly waterborne diseases such as typhoid fever and leptospirosis, and also cause diarrhea. Standing water that pools after flooding also becomes a breeding ground for mosquitos and can increase the occurrence of diseases transmitted by these insects, such as dengue fever.On 17 December 2020, Category Five Tropical Cyclone (TC) Yasa made landfall with heavy rain and strong winds up to 250 kph in Fiji’s Northern Division, leaving behind a massive trail of destruction for residents of the province of Bua. The cyclone damaged the homes, schools and other community buildings and the livelihoods of people. Many communities also suffered damage to critical water and sanitation infrastructure, which can lead to poor health if left unattended, including outbreaks of water-related diseases.In support of the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoHMS) to strengthen water quality assessment capacity in communities post natural disasters, the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) conducted a five-day refresher training for the health inspectors in Northern Division. The training is part of the project’s collaborative response to protect public health post-TC Yasa, building the knowledge and skills of the participants in conducting water quality tests in remote communities with the efficient use of Wagtech Potalab. The Wagtech Potalab is the advance portable laboratory that allows efficient water quality assessments in the rural and remote areas.The participants learn how to conduct chemical and microbiological (bacteria) tests with the use of the portable laboratory kits to:determine if the drinking water is safe for consumption;identify sources of contamination; and​recommend interventions to reduce the risks of water-related disease in the affected communities.WISH Fiji project manager Timoci Naivalulevu said, “As partners in the arena of public and environmental health, it is our responsibility to ensure that drinking water is not only available to the communities, but is safe for consumption and does not prompt waterborne diseases especially after disasters.”“For instance, several communities in Bua Province are already recognized as hotspots for leptospirosis, typhoid, dengue and diarrhea (LTDDs) after TC Yasa. The water quality assessments are critical to ensure that the risks of disease transmission are detected quickly, so we can enact preventive measures.,” he added. The five divisional health inspectors will prioritise these ​high-risk areas to conduct water quality assessments after the training.The MoHMS Macuata Sub-Division Health Inspector, Pranit Kapoor said, “It is important to add water quality analysis to our water sampling work. This enables us to make quicker decisions on what interventions are needed in high priority communities. We can also develop water quality profiles for high risk communities within the sub-divisions.” During the last two days of the training, the participants conducted water assessments in the six communities in Dama District in Bua Province. The WISH Fiji project has spent over a year working with communities in Dama and four other watersheds to identify the factors that are contributing to water-related diseases and affecting human health and the many services provided by the environment. Since then, the WISH Fiji, through its Water Safety and Security Planning workshops has identified multiple interventions that will be implemented to improve the water and sanitation infrastructure and wisely manage human activities within their village and watershed environments to help reduce the transmission of water-related diseases. WISH Fiji has so far completed two water infrastructure interventions in Tavulomo Village in Dama District in Bua Province and Bureta District on Ovalau Island in Lomaiviti Province – as a result these communities have access to water.Ministry of Health and Medical Services Northern Division Health Inspectors with the WISH Fiji staff  after completing the water quality assessment training in Labasa. © WISH Fiji This project is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. adevi@wcs.org Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15783 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15766/New-dam-and-collection-box-to-improve-water-quality-and-supply-in-Bureta.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15766 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15766&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15766/New-dam-and-collection-box-to-improve-water-quality-and-supply-in-Bureta.aspx A newly constructed dam in Bureta District in Ovalau Island in the Province of Lomaiviti will improve the quality and supply of water for at least 350 people. The new dam will serve fresh water to three villages, a settlement, the Bureta Airstrip, the local health center and a primary school. For past three years, the water supplied from an existing old dam that served the villages through the reservoir was insufficient. This was mainly due to a leakage in the dam and the use of single distribution pipe to supply water to the villages.Villagers from Bureta District get together to built the new dam and the collection box. ©WCS/Bruce SouthwickWith support from the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project, the Lomaiviti Provincial Office, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the villagers of Naviteitei, Nasaga and Tai collaborated to build a new dam in December. The new dam which is situated approximately 20 metres above the old one, includes a sedimentation chamber and a collection box to trap sediments before the water is piped to the reservoir through a new distribution pipe down to three villages, the airstrip, health center and the school. Additional repair work was conducted in the reservoir by engineers from the Water Authority of Fiji.Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) WISH Fiji project manager, Dr. Andrew Tukana said the construction was made possible with sturdy teamwork and the effort displayed by the villagers and their leaders. “It was a tedious task where the villagers had to carry the building materials and tools at least 45 minutes uphill to the site of the new dam. But through their hard work and determination the construction was completed in a week,” Dr. Tukana said. He added that both, the new and old dam will be used to cater for the water demand in the whole district. The new dam construction was a part of WISH Fiji’s commitment to implement active ecological restoration and waste management interventions identified by the villages.The villagers constructing the collection box and sedimentation chamber. ©WCS/Bruce SouthwickWCS Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai, said “WISH Fiji has identified several interventions in 29 communities where we work and we will be rolling this out in early 2021 with to help improve water and sanitation infrastructure, and human activities that affect environmental and human health,” Dr. Mangubhai stated.The newly constructed dam with the sedimentation chamber and the collection box in Bureta District. ©Mereia Ravoka/WCSThe WISH Fiji project which is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, embraces an integrated approach by working with national and local government, rural communities and the commercial sector in Fiji to take a systems approach to health and well-being through focused action within five river sub-catchments with documented cases of typhoid, leptospirosis and dengue fever. adevi@wcs.org Mon, 01 Feb 2021 03:25:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15766 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15763/Village-water-supply-restored-after-borehole-rehabilitation.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15763 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15763&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15763/Village-water-supply-restored-after-borehole-rehabilitation.aspx The repairing of a borehole in Tavulomo Village in the district of Dama in Bua Province has brought water to more than 180 people. In April 2020, the solar pump was damaged and stopped delivering water from the borehole to the 37 households in Tavulomo Village. Since then, the villages relied on the limited and restricted water supply from the neighbouring village in the district.In November, the villagers with support from the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project, Fiji’s Mineral Resources Department, the Bua Provincial Administrator’s Office, Bua Provincial Council Office and village-level Water and Sanitation Committee, repaired their broken solar pump and restored their primary source of water. Repairing work in progress at the Tavulomo Village borehole in Dama District, Bua Province. ©Eferemo Kubunavanua/WCSThe village headman (Turaga ni Koro), Kelemedi Bitu said during this period, the village experienced inadequate supply of water which affected them daily.“Without sufficient water, our lives were very hard,” Mr Beti said. He described the problems that the broken borehole pump had on the whole community. Prior to receiving the water supply from Nasau Village, the villagers depended on rain and river water for drinking and other household activities.“With consent from Nasau Village, we connected a pipe from their water source to our Rota tanks that served the individual households. However, the village had to wait for certain periods during the day to access water and even experience disruptions due to debris clogging the pipe that supplied water from Nasau,” Mr Beti explained.Repairing the borehole pump at Tavulomo Village in Dama District in Bua Province. ©Eferemo Kubunavanua/WCSAdditionally, “during the dry periods, both villages experienced low water supply due to the increase in the number of people using the single water source and we had to resort to using river water too.”Mr Beti said the villagers were grateful to WISH Fiji for the timely assistance, especially as the Christmas and holiday period approaches.Wildlife Conservation Society WISH Fiji Project Manager, Dr. Andrew Tukana said the rehabilitation effort was part of the project to work with local communities and relevant government authorities to implement ecological, water and waste management interventions identified by village water committees to reduce the incidences of waterborne diseases such as leptospirosis, dengue and typhoid.“The work reflects on the project’s objectives which was to ensure a safe and reliable supply of water for the village, which in turn was expected to improve health and livelihoods for the people. The intervention was critical for the village because the people needed easily accessible and sufficient water to continue with their daily lives and ensure good health,” Dr. Tukana explained. Dr Tukana added the expert staff from the Mineral Resource Department cleaned the borehole by flushing out the sediment, stagnant water and debris before repairing the pump.The WISH Fiji project which is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, aims to achieve reduction in the incidence of water-borne diseases − typhoid, dengue, leptospirosis − by developing and testing real-time mobile tools to optimise water, sanitation and catchment management and training cross-sectoral teams to improve outbreak response. adevi@wcs.org Mon, 01 Feb 2021 02:53:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15763 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14879/Fijis-first-community-led-sea-cucumber-management-plan-launched-in-Natuvu-village.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=14879 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14879&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14879/Fijis-first-community-led-sea-cucumber-management-plan-launched-in-Natuvu-village.aspx The sea cucumber fishery is an important source of income for the people of Natuvu village in the District of Wailevu in Cakaudrove Province on Vanua Levu. Of the 30 sea cucumber species present in Fiji, 14 are most valuable to the fishers of Natuvu. However, the rapidly declining fishery and its inconsistent prices have concerned the villagers over time. Therefore, to ensure the continuity of their livelihood for generations, the people of Natuvu village have committed to putting the right management measures in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of their sea cucumber fishery. As such, the country’s first community sea cucumber management plan was officially launched at Natuvu village today (3 September 2020). Sea cucumber in the waters of Natuvu village. ©Arishma Devi/WCS The management plan was developed by the Natuvu villagers and their traditional leaders with support from the Ministry of Fisheries and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) through several consultations between 2016 and 2019. The plan aims to address the social, economic, and ecological issues associated with harvesting and processing of the fishery which were identified by men and women fishers during the consultations. One of the key problems highlighted by the villagers during the consultations was the lack of consistency in the prices for processed sea cucumbers, declining population of the sea cucumbers and a lack of knowledge regarding post-harvesting processing practices for different species to ensure product quality. The people of Natuvu village, their traditional leaders with the Commissioner Northern Uraia Rainima (sitting left) and the Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai at the launch of the sea cucumber management plan 2020-2024. ©Arishma Devi/WCS By putting in place a management plan, the community are being proactive so that in the future, once stocks recover nationally and harvesting is allowed again, Natuvu village will be in strong position to reap the benefits in a sustainable way. The Commissioner Northern, Uraia Rainima expressed his gratitude to the people of Natuvu and their leaders for their support towards developing and implementing the plan for the benefit of the sea cucumber fishers. Recalling how the fundraising through sea cucumber fishery contributed to the building of the village’s first secondary school and their community hall, a decade ago, Mr Rainima said, “even without the management plan, you (the villagers) were able to achieve so much from the fishery, so imagine how much you can achieve with the management plan in place, should the ban on the fishery lift.” Between 2008 and 2017, Natuvu villagers opted to periodically harvesting the sea cucumbers in their waters to ensure its sustainability. As part of the plan, the villagers will adhere to the recommended size limits for harvesting the sea cucumbers and will receive training on post-harvest processing of sea cucumbers. Additionally, two fish wardens will receive training to ensure fishers comply with the rules in the management plan.  The implementation and enforcement of the plan will be monitored by the Natuvu Development Committee.Natuvu villagers during the launch.  There is a long tradition of sea cucumber harvesting in Fiji for Asian markets. In the 19th century sea cucumber trade became Fiji’s major export earner which also contributed to the significant over-exploitation of the fishery. However, since 2015, the Ministry of Fisheries has been working closely with the WCS on the health of sea cucumber stocks and to put in place management measures to assist in the recovery of this severely depleted fishery. Multiple scientific studies and assessments undertaken up to 2017 had showed how decimated stocks were, and that without any management intervention, many sea cucumber species would become locally extinct. To ensure the recovery of the fishery and safeguard the long-term livelihoods for local communities and businesses, a ban (or moratorium) was placed on the exporting and sale of all sea cucumber species from late 2017 and remains in force today. This issue of depleted stocks and use of moratorium for this fishery is not unique to Fiji, and has been experienced by most Pacific Island countries. Moratoria are not a preferred management intervention for any management agency, but are often used when a fishery has gone past a tipping point, the fishery will not recover unless there is a cessation of harvesting. Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai said “the recovery and wise management of fisheries resources do not just lie with the government. Throughout Fiji, the sea cucumber fishery has been an important source of income for coastal communities, especially in rural areas. Communities such as Natuvu village know all too well how valuable this resource is to them.” adevi@wcs.org Thu, 03 Sep 2020 23:23:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14879 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14655/4-WISH-Fiji-staff-pioneer-FNUs-degree-by-research.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=14655 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14655&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14655/4-WISH-Fiji-staff-pioneer-FNUs-degree-by-research.aspx Four staff with the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project are among the pioneers to undertake a Higher Education Degree by Research (HDR) at the Fiji National University (FNU). FNU’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) officially launched its HDR programme in July this year. As part of the capacity building and development program, the staff are awarded the scholarship through WISH Fiji project funded by Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to pursue their Masters Degree by Research in Health Sciences, Post Graduate studies and Bachelors Degree. The students are expected to complete their research under the expert guidance from health researchers from FNU and from the WISH Fiji lead researchers from Australia. WISH Fiji staff have selected Masters research topics that focus on public health in the areas of data management, laboratory diagnostic capacity, drinking water policy and ecological transmission of leptospirosis, typhoid and dengue fever (LTD).                                       Masters students' Timoci Naivalulevu, Shayal Sami and Shylett Anthony. ©WISH Fiji WISH Fiji Data Manager Shayal Sami, said, “Being part of WISH Fiji project has actually given me the opportunity to participate in the higher degree research program at FNU. My research looks at system strengthening to identify ways for LTD data integration in Fiji.” Ms Sami elucidated that the research topics selected by the WISH Fiji staff were inspiring and would examine the wider scope of health. WISH Fiji Catchment Coordinator, Vilisi Naivalulevu, said, “I hope that my research will add value to the important work that the WISH Fiji project is doing. Public health is a new field for me as I come from a resource management background.”         Ms Naivalulevu will study transmission pathways of leptospirosis. She will evaluate the various factors that influence transmission and evaluate how the risk factor analysis from the WISH project will help to address leptospirosis in the communities we work in.                                   Masters student, Vilisi Naivalulevu (right) with colleagues and staff of Fiji National University WISH Fiji Senior Water Laboratory Technician, Shylett Anthony said she was still in a learning phase. Ms Anthony’s research focuses on building diagnostic capacity in Fiji’s health sector. “My research concentrates on examining molecular methods for the detection of pathogens in the environment, specifically targeting Salmonella typhi, a causative pathogen for typhoid,” Ms Anthony highlighted. WISH Fiji Catchment Coordinator Timoci Naivalulevu, says, “Most communities in Fiji are dependent on surface water for consumption. With my research, I am determined to improve the standard and quality of rural drinking water in Fiji.”  adevi@wcs.org Thu, 30 Jul 2020 03:19:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14655 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14276/WISH-Fiji-joins-Health-Ministry-in-fight-against-LTDD-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=14276 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14276&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14276/WISH-Fiji-joins-Health-Ministry-in-fight-against-LTDD-in-Fiji.aspx The staff of Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project joined the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoHMS) to clean the premises of St. Giles Hospital in Reservoir Road, Suva, yesterday.                                                                                     Keeping the waterways clear. © WISH Fiji The initiative was part of MoHMS’s door-to-door 'LTDD Campaign’ across the country to combat the spread of leptospirosis, typhoid, dengue and diarrhoea. Fiji has recorded a sudden spike in the number of cases of dengue, leptospirosis and typhoid after Tropical Cyclone Harold that passed through Fiji in April 2020. As of May 25, 2020, Fiji has recorded 1,146 confirmed cases of LTDD and seven deaths. Of these confirmed cases, 278 are leptospirosis, 77 are typhoid and 791 are dengue, with a majority recorded in the Central Division.WISH Fiji staff with Fiji Center for Communicable Disease Control (FCCDC) at Mataika House. © WISH FijiThe WISH Fiji project catchment coordinator and supervisor, Timoci Naivalulevu, said that the campaign was essential to highlight the need for clean and safe environment. The team was composed of staff from the Fiji Center for Communicable Disease Control (FCCDC) at Mataika House and the WISH Fiji project. “By keeping our homes and surrounding clean, we can terminate the breeding grounds for the germs or bacteria that carry these diseases,” Mr Naivalulevu said. He added, “The increase in the number of dengue cases is a clear indication that mosquitoes have found stagnant waters to breed in. Therefore, we need to look around our houses and communities and clear any unused or unclean water stored in open containers, tanks, blocked drains, and tyres.”  WISH Fiji team members cleaning the compound with the staff of St. Giles and FCCDC. © WISH Fiji The staff of WISH Fiji are also urging the public to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation habits, which include washing hands with soap and water after using toilets and before eating food. The WISH Fiji project focuses on watershed management and policy implementation to reduce the spread of the waterborne diseases common to Fiji, such as dengue fever, leptospirosis and typhoid. adevi@wcs.org Thu, 28 May 2020 22:04:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14276 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13925/Baseline-data-helping-to-identify-priority-issues-in-five-sub-catchments-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=13925 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13925&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13925/Baseline-data-helping-to-identify-priority-issues-in-five-sub-catchments-in-Fiji.aspx Outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as dengue fever, typhoid and leptospirosis are common in Fiji. Since 2005, there has been at least 20 reported cases of typhoid, a 27,000 case dengue outbreak between 2013 to 2014 and a three-fold increase in leptospirosis cases since Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016. The Watershed Interventions for System Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project is helping to better understand drivers of these diseases within Fiji’s watersheds, and working with local communities and government to reduce disease risk, which will also have co-benefits for downstream water quality and coral health. Watersheds are defined by the area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas. In February, WISH Fiji project staff and partners met for a four-day mid-term review workshop. The objective of the workshop was to reflect on the achievements so far and plan the next phases of the project. WISH Fiji mid-term review workshop participants. © WISH Fiji/WCSThe participants shared and discussed results from the project’s baseline survey from the five target sub-catchments. Results of the baseline survey from the project’s five target watersheds suggested a number of areas for attention to reduce incidences of waterborne diseases. These disease risks will be shared with communities, provincial offices and relevant government partners in the upcoming months. At the watershed scale, the project identified risk factors driven by development activities which affect the ability of forests, streams and wetlands to provide natural flood control and water purification functions. At the community scale, water and sanitation infrastructure and management of livestock, agriculture and pests may be contributing to increased incidences of the water-related diseases.  Interviews with over 300 households further identified habits or behaviours that increase the risk of disease. Participants engaged with workshop activities. ©WISH Fiji/WCS Following four days of intensive brainstorming and sharing of information, the results were shared with key government officials and the representatives from the provincial offices.  What came out strongly was the need to collaborate more closely to ensure interventions will be effective, and to share limited resources.The Fijian Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Iferemi Waqainabete (sitting, fifth from left) at the WISH Fiji stakeholder meeting at Holiday Inn in Suva. ©WISH Fiji/WCS While closing the workshop, the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Iferemi Waqainabete, said that the Ministry has long been concerned about the numbers of typhoid, leptospirosis and dengue cases. He added that the Ministry worked hard with the communities last year to enact preventative measures which focused on hygiene and sanitation to help reduce these disease outbreaks.  Dr. Waqainabete stated “WISH Fiji is the first project in our country to embrace an integrated, preventative approach to tackle Fiji’s three plagues – leptospirosis, typhoid and dengue – through actions that will simultaneously bring benefits to the environment and the people of Fiji.”.  This project is generously funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies' Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs.         adevi@wcs.org Wed, 11 Mar 2020 22:09:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13925 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13907/Making-the-invisible-visible-women-fishers-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=13907 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13907&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13907/Making-the-invisible-visible-women-fishers-in-Fiji.aspx Women play a myriad of roles on a daily basis, taking care of family, performing domestic duties, financially and emotionally supporting the household, contributing to professional sectors, building community and supporting the national economy.  In Fiji, women in coastal communities have engaged in the fisheries sector for decades. Their contributions towards household and economy, however, have often been undervalued. A national report on ‘The critical contribution of women fishers to food security and livelihoods in Fiji’ provides evidence and a comprehensive analysis of the roles that women fishers play in household food security, nutrition and income generation. Cover of the newly launched national report on women in fisheries. The Report was produced by  the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in partnership with Ministry of Fisheries, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Conservation International, Vatuvara Foundation Fiji, Women in Fisheries Network-Fiji, Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area-Network, University of the South Pacific and the Pacific Community (SPC). The partners launched the report on Friday, 6 March 2020, in conjunction with International Women’s Day.                             Wildlife Conservation Society Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai and the Director for                  Ministry of Fisheries, Mere Lakeba cut the cake to celebrate International Women's Day. © WCSOver 1,200 iTaukei (indigenous) women fishers were interviewed from 11 provinces of Fiji to explore their fishing motivations and strategies in five habitats: freshwater rivers, mangroves and mudflats, soft bottom, coral reef and open ocean habitats. The Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai said it was important to quantify the role of women in fisheries as it will help better design interventions specific to women fishers which in turn, contributes to the effective management of Fiji’s fisheries. The study suggested that collectively, 70% of the catch by women fishers are for household consumption, while the rest are sold for income. Women also fished for social and cultural events within their community.The Director for the Ministry of Fisheries, Mere Lakeba, congratulated the authors of the report, as it will assist the Ministry in addressing the challenges faced by women in fisheries sector and ensure their long-term sustainability of Fiji's coastal fisheries. The partners who participated or contributed to the report with the Director for Ministry of Fisheries, Mere Lakeba at the launch on March 6 2020.  © Arishma Devi “Through the report, I believe that women working hard day in and out to provide for their families through fisheries will have a voice and finally be recognized for all that they do and contribute to the sector,” Ms Lakeba said. adevi@wcs.org Mon, 09 Mar 2020 20:46:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13907 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13504/WCS-Fiji-Director-discusses-gender-equity-and-social-inclusion-at-the-International-Symposium-Fisheries-Sustainability-in-Rome.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=13504 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13504&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13504/WCS-Fiji-Director-discusses-gender-equity-and-social-inclusion-at-the-International-Symposium-Fisheries-Sustainability-in-Rome.aspx “There is a growing interest in ensuring that the approaches used in fisheries and conservation, incorporate gender equity and social inclusion to ensure outcomes are fair, just and sustainable.” Speaking as a panelist at a Session at the 2019 FAO International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in Rome, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai shared her views on how gender and social inclusion could enhance food security and biodiversity conservation.Wildlife Conservation Society, Fiji Country Program, Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai as a panelist at a Session at the 2019 FAO International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in Rome. Credit: FAO  She elaborated on existing approaches for gender and social inclusion and discussed what needed to be improved further for effective outcomes in creating sustainable fisheries. “When we talk about people, we are talking about both men and women who play different and complementary roles when it comes to biodiversity conservation and food security,” Dr. Mangubhai said. She also added that communities were not homogenous and were made up of diverse social or ethnic groups. “It is critical to understand ‘intersectionality’ which where social categorizations such as ethnicity, class, and gender can overlap and can compound inequalities. Beyond a moral issue, inequalities can create obstacles that if not understood and addressed, will ultimately make biodiversity and fisheries interventions ineffective,” Dr. Mangubhai said. But if not careful, the very interventions can reinforce or aggravate inequalities. For example, if a marine protected area is placed where women glean, this can impact food security, as the women will need travel further or work harder to feed their families.Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai discusses gender equity and social inclusion for sustainable fisheries. Photo: FAO  In addressing the international conservationists, Dr. Mangubhai said moving forward, “it is important that gender issues are on the FAO Committee on Fisheries agenda, and the development of a strategy for mainstreaming gender equity and social inclusion in programmes and in statistics, policies and international instruments should be discussed.” She has called on the conservationists to “move beyond guidelines and lip-service to provide practical tools to implement joint biodiversity protection and fisheries management objectives, using gender and social inclusive approaches that are unique to their social-cultural and geographic setting.” “We should not do gender and social inclusion because we have to, but because it is instrumental to reach both food security and conservation objectives, and it is morally the right thing to do,” Dr. Mangubhai said. Fisheries sector is considered to be at an important crossroad today. While it is significantly contributing to daily food security and livelihoods of many who depend on it, the growing demand continues to affect the future of marine and inland fisheries. The 2019 International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability currently underway at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, is set to identify pathways to strengthen the science and policy interplay in fisheries production, management and trade, based on principals of sustainability, for improved outcomes in practice. The debates and conclusions of the Symposium will prepare the way for development of a new vision for capture fisheries, outlining how the sector can respond to the complex and rapidly changing challenges facing society. adevi@wcs.org Wed, 20 Nov 2019 22:16:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13504 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/12903/Kusima-mada-is-now-available-for-purchase.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=12903 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=12903&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/12903/Kusima-mada-is-now-available-for-purchase.aspx We are delighted to announce that Kusima Mada - Fiji's very own sustainable seafood cookbook is now available for purchase from the Wildlife Conservation Society. The cookbook has over 80 original, healthy, mouthwatering recipes and beautiful pictures celebrating the role of women in fisheries sector.You may book your copy with us today. Email us at infofiji@wcs.org or call on +679 3315174 adevi@wcs.org Mon, 19 Aug 2019 00:54:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:12903 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/12716/Kusima-mada-Fijis-first-sustainable-cookbook-launched.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=12716 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=12716&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/12716/Kusima-mada-Fijis-first-sustainable-cookbook-launched.aspx On Tuesday, 25 June 2019, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) launched a first of its kind cookbook in Fiji, Kusima Mada, designed to promote sustainable seafood.The launch was officiated by the Honourable Minister for Fisheries, Mr Semi Koroilavesau at Governor’s Restaurant in Knolly Street, Suva. The cookbook was written in collaboration with Australian Chef, Jason Allport, who designed original mouthwatering recipes using a range of locally-sourced seafood and produce. Only species currently thought to be sustainable are included in the cookbook. The cookbook features over 80 recipes organized in terms of the habitats the species are found, from rivers, mangroves, coral reefs to the open ocean. What is also unique is the way the book uses vibrant photography to showcase women in the fisheries sector. Mr Koroilavesau said the Ministry is proud to be part of the launch of the cookbook that encouraged consumers to make smart seafood choices, while contributing to keeping Fiji’s fisheries healthy. “The collective role that we have now is to ensure that we continue to access our shared resources without depleting the productivity of these resources and the precious aquatic environment in which they dwell on,” Mr Koroilavesau said. The Director for Wildlife Conservation Society, Fiji, Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai said the cookbook recognized the myriad of roles local women play in coastal fisheries and their contributions to food security and livelihoods, and to the larger national economy. “Local women fishers significantly contribute to household protein requirements and income but their contributions are often ‘invisible’ or undervalued. The evening of launch was therefore dedicated to our women in fisheries to make them more ‘visible’,” Dr Mangubhai said She stated collaborative efforts were needed by researchers and policy-makers to ensure women in the fisheries sector are provided with support they need to sustain local fisheries and become active in fisheries planning, management and other key decision-making processes. Kusima Mada was also designed to inspire new menus and as well as some methods to promote sustainable seafood choices by consumers and protection of local fisheries including compliance with the current size limits for fish and invertebrates in Fiji. The cookbook contributes to the efforts of the Ministry of Fisheries to conserve the local fisheries through its ongoing campaigns such as “Set Size Campaign” and seasonal ban on grouper fishes, Kawakawa and Donu. Dr Mangubhai hopes the cookbook inspires readers and make them think differently about the seafood that people consume and the actions people can take, to ensure local fisheries remain healthy and continue to provide for all.   adevi@wcs.org Mon, 08 Jul 2019 23:44:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:12716