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Self‐reliance in Kiribati: contrasting views of agricultural and fisheries production
Author(s) -
Thomas Frank R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geographical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1475-4959
pISSN - 0016-7398
DOI - 10.1111/1475-4959.00045
Subject(s) - subsistence agriculture , agriculture , atoll , geography , fishery , extant taxon , agricultural productivity , production (economics) , marine fisheries , natural resource economics , agricultural economics , business , fishing , economics , biology , macroeconomics , archaeology , evolutionary biology , reef
Aid and remittances have long defined the economies of Pacific Island ‘micro states’ as part of the MIRAB approach to development. However, these sources of support now face an uncertain future. While recognizing that atoll nations, such as Kiribati, are constrained in terms of their agricultural potential, particularly on urban South Tarawa, there is still room for improvement of both traditional and exotic crop production to help reverse the trend of increasing imported food dependency and the rising incidence of nutritionally related non‐communicable diseases. By contrast, the inshore fisheries sector currently satisfies both subsistence and local commercial needs. This paper examines extant agricultural and nearshore fisheries activities on South Tarawa and analyzes the impact on health and nutrition and on the environment.