http://www.dailypost.vu/content/vanuatu‐climate‐change‐adaptation‐through‐fruit‐drying‐and‐food‐preservation Vanuatu climate change adaptation through fruit drying and food preservation Posted on November 6, 2011 ‐ 11:33am Food preservation expert Charles Long Wah demonstrates the use of a solar fruit dryer Today over 80 participants gathered on Pele Island Vanuatu to take part in a training on
climate adaptation through solar fruit drying and food preservation. The workshop was
facilitated by ni-Vanuatu expert Mr. Charles Long Wah and supported by SPC-GIZ-SPREP
Climate Change Vanuatu and the Departments of Forestry, Agriculture, Trades and SHEFA
province.
Vanuatu is known for its bountiful harvests of fruits and nuts (like mango, coconut, papaya
and tamarind), but climate change is threatening these very important sources of food and
income. Climate change and variability are already affecting the timing and success of
flowing and fruiting of many of these crops. For example, this year’s mango season has been
affected by the heavy rains caused by two consecutive La Nina events. Climate extremes
can also cause trees to fruit early, late or not at all. The high vulnerability of our fruits and
nuts to climate change makes them a great place to start adaptation activities.
In Vanuatu, very little value adding of products is undertaken. For example, when tomatoes
are in season, the markets are flooded, prices drop and much produce is wasted. Only a few
months later, no tomatoes can be found. Developing ways to store and preserve these excess
fruits and nuts for use during cyclone periods when little food is available is a critical climate
adaptation strategy. Some islands of Vanuatu have very well developed traditional food
storage techniques, like the preservation of breadfruit in the Torres Islands, while others do
not.
During this week’s workshop, long-time food preservation expert Mr Charles Long Wah took
participants through the basic elements of fruit drying and value adding for the most valuable
fruits and nuts. Giving detailed step-by-step instructions, the participants learned the
intricacies of producing quality dried products for food security and even extra income
generation.
The SPC-GIZ-SPREP programme has been working with Mr. Long Wah for several months
to develop a Vanuatu-appropriate and efficient solar fruit drying machine. The solar fruit
dryer uses the suns energy to rapidly dry and preserve fruits. A small solar panel is sufficient
to power two fans which blow solar heated air around the inside of the dryer to dry the fruit
1 even faster. The dryer doesn’t require a battery and works when the sun is shining. Drying
mangoes can take as little as 2 days, and the product can last for up to a year.
Workshop participants were able to purchase a booklet written by Charles Long Wah which
details all of his recipes and even gives instructions on how to build a solar dryer with locally
available resources and hardware. Mr Long Wah closed the workshop by encouraging
participants to continue to plant fruit and nut trees, as this is the way for Vanuatu to develop
sustainably, and for ni-Vanuatu people to use their land in ways that benefit them financially
and also help them adapt to climate change.
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