Swanepoel Libby, Tioti Tereere, Eria Taati, Tamuera Karibanang, Tiitii Ulusapeti, Larson Silva, Paul Nicholas
School of Health and Sport Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore 4558, Queensland, Australia.
Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource Development, PO Box 64, Bairiki, Tarawa, Kiribati.
Foods. 2020 Mar 26;9(4):382. doi: 10.3390/foods9040382.
Seaweeds are a source of food throughout the Pacific region. Kiribati, however, does not have a strong history of using seaweed in their diets, despite having reliable access to indigenous edible seaweeds. A series of peer-led seaweed training workshops held in Kiribati between 2018 and 2019 provided women with knowledge, skills, and motivational support needed to engage in the seaweed supply chain, from harvesting, processing, and marketing to consumption. This study aimed to identify opportunities and enablers to support women's participation across the seaweed supply chain. Structured interviews with 49 women explored their interest and expected costs and benefits from involvement in the supply chain. There was high interest in most seaweed-related activities and the key motivators were health and nutrition for themselves and their family. Participants were also interested in developing and sharing new skills and saw the potential for income generation. However, there were also clear barriers including a desire for further training in seaweed harvesting, processing, and recipe creation; additional social support; and in public promotion. Given the natural resources and desire of women to engage in developing this new edible seaweed supply chain in Kiribati, there is now a need for capacity development to build social and economic wellbeing and food security across the broader community. Additional peer-to-peer training opportunities may look to other Pacific Islands where seaweed is already an established and traditional food.
海藻是整个太平洋地区的食物来源。然而，尽管基里巴斯能够稳定获取当地可食用海藻，但该国在饮食中使用海藻的历史并不悠久。2018年至2019年间在基里巴斯举办了一系列由同行主导的海藻培训研讨会，为女性提供了参与海藻供应链所需的知识、技能和激励支持，涵盖从收获、加工、销售到消费的各个环节。本研究旨在确定支持女性参与整个海藻供应链的机会和推动因素。对49名女性进行的结构化访谈探讨了她们对参与供应链的兴趣以及预期成本和收益。她们对大多数与海藻相关的活动兴趣浓厚，关键动机是自身及家人的健康和营养。参与者也对发展和分享新技能感兴趣，并看到了创收潜力。然而，也存在明显障碍，包括希望在海藻收获、加工和食谱创作方面获得进一步培训；额外的社会支持；以及公众推广。鉴于基里巴斯的自然资源以及女性参与发展这一新的可食用海藻供应链的愿望，现在需要开展能力建设，以促进更广泛社区的社会和经济福祉以及粮食安全。额外的 peer-to-peer 培训机会可以参考其他海藻已成为既定传统食物的太平洋岛屿。
