Japan Ambassador Hirohisa Soma and International Organization for Migration office head Hilary Vanderwey signed an agreement earlier this week that sets in motion a two-year plan to strengthen Majuro and Wotje local food systems.
The project, supported by Japan and to be implemented by IOM in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Natural Resources and Commerce, will have “a practical focus on two boarding school campuses,” said Vanderwey.
“Students and staff will grow more fresh, local food, improve meal planning and nutrition, and upgrade storage and kitchen safety to reduce waste and improve quality,” she added. “These are tangible steps that will be visible in gardens, kitchens, and dining halls, and felt in better meals and healthier habits for students.”
The project aims to address underlying drivers of heavy out-migration to the United States, said Vanderwey. “Families live with the fragility of local food supplies and a heavy reliance on costly imported foods,” she said.
“Health burdens linked to diet are rising, especially among youth. By building climate-smart food production close to where students live and learn, improving nutrition in boarding houses, and reducing spoilage through better storage, we help ease these pressures so that mobility remains a choice, not a necessity.”