News

News updates from the Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources.

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Women’s Cooperative in Kiritimati Advances with New Marine Business

From 11 August to 2 September 2025, our team visited Kiritimati Island to support Nei Baneawa Cooperative Society in setting up their new business on the production and sale of value -added marine products. Nei Baneawa was selected after a full Island Council meeting and consultation with the MLPID OIC, as it is the only organization that unites women from different church groups on the island.
We provided training on post-harvest and value-adding of marine products including tuna jerky, smoked milkfish, seaweed ice cream, and jam. The mission was a great success. Nei Baneawa is now ready to run their business and has already started selling their products with customers coming in.
To mark this milestone, an MOU was signed between MFOR, the Ministry for the Line and Phoenix Islands Group, and Nei Baneawa Cooperative Society to formalise roles and responsibilities.
Special thanks to PROP through the World Bank for making this initiative possible. MFOR, through PROP, will provide Nei Baneawa with working materials expected to arrive before the end of the year 2025.
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Building Sustainable Livelihoods in Tab-North through Fisheries Training

Four staff from the Coastal Fisheries Division worked together with the Fisheries Extension Assistant to conduct a mission on Tab-North from 14-21st August, 2025, to deliver two key community activities: (i) a Post-Harvest Training on Seaweed Ice Cream and (ii) a Fisheries Management Awareness Program. The program was extended to all villages, including the islets of Tab North, ensuring inclusive participation from the wider community. These training equipped community members with practical skills in value addition by processing seaweed into ice cream, and emphasized the importance of responsible fishing practices, conservation of marine ecosystems, and compliance with fisheries regulations, fostering stronger community stewardship of coastal resources.
These activities are vital for Tab North Island, where communities rely heavily on marine resources for both subsistence and income. Strengthening skills in seaweed product development provides new income streams, while reinforcing sustainable fisheries management ensures long-term food security and protection of the island’s marine environment.
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FAO and MFOR Launch Tuna Processing Initiative to Strengthen Local Value Chains

An initiative aimed at boosting the tuna value chain is now underway at the Revenue Generating Activity (RGA) Facility at the Eco-farm in Temaiku. The project is managed by the Sustainable Fish Value Chains for Small Island Developing States (SVC4SIDS) Project under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in close collaboration with the Coastal Fisheries Division. The initiative started in mid-June this year focusing on identifying innovative post-harvest processing methods for tuna jerky, tuna samosas, tuna sausages. The initiative is to provide capacity building opportunities for women fish sellers and youth on post-harvest of tuna. Trials on tuna canning have also been done in preparation for the Tuna canneries underway on Makin and Nikunau, also under this project.
On 18 August, the project commenced a 3-day hands-on training with women fish sellers from Nawerewere. The training included an introduction to sanitary and hygienic practices, hands-on processing of tuna into value-added products as well as a marketing session of the finished products. One of the women trainees commented that selling value-added products will provide her with more profit compared to selling whole tuna. The project will continue to provide this training to interested fish-sellers and youth from selected sites on South Tarawa and Betio. For interests in this training program, please contact 73016554/73026077.
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Pacific Atoll Nations Unite for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Planning

A six-member delegation from Kiribati joined a regional workshop in Nadi, Fiji (19–21 August 2025) on Sustainable Aggregate Sourcing and Resilient Urbanization for Pacific Atoll Countries. The workshop brought together leaders from MFOR, OB, MISE, MELAD, and MCIA to collaborate on a five-year action plan aimed at strengthening local aggregate supply, reducing costly imports, and supporting climate-resilient infrastructure. Team Kiribati thanks the World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, and Japan-World Bank Program for hosting this important platform, uniting Pacific Atoll nations to tackle shared challenges and shape sustainable solutions for development and resilience.

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