Yap CRE at Yap Day 2018 – Cultivating Healthy Communities Through Vegetable Gardening
By: Dr. Murukesan Krishnapillai
Yap CRE outreach programs continue to enthuse island communities and off-island visitors alike with rich array of climate-smart, nutritious vegetable production systems as demonstrated through participation in the annual cultural celebrations.
Yap celebrated 50th edition of Yap Day from February 28 to March 2, 2018. It is that time of the year when island communities get together to celebrate Yap Island’s most colorful days with traditional dances, crafts, competitions and demonstrations on local development programs.
With continued efforts to reach out to the communities through research, extension and education activities, Yap CRE’s veggie stall showcased various climate smart food production systems and low-cost urban garden models of nutritious vegetables. These vegetable production systems explicitly address climate resilient development through adaptation efforts at the community level that reduces vulnerability by securing nutrition under a changing climate. A variety of nutritious vegetables from Yap CRE demonstration gardens and USAID Pacific-American Climate Fund-Climate Adaptive Agriculture and Resilience Project beneficiaries’ kitchen gardens were on display and sale.
Visiting diplomats, dignitaries, national and state government officials, traditional leaders and other community members commended on Yap CRE’s outreach efforts promoting nutritious vegetables to enhance food and nutrition security of island communities. A great teamwork of CRE staff, ag interns, work-study students and CAAR Project beneficiaries brought success to our participation in Yap Day 2018 celebrations.
