The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) last week handed over a brand-new Hilux vehicle to the Agriculture Investment for Markets and Nutrition (AIM-N) project.
The vehicle, which cost over SBD300,000, was handed over by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Hon. Franklyn Derek Wasi, to AIM-N Project Manager Samantha Maeke.
The AIM-N project aims to help rural families improve their nutrition, food security, and income by building on their traditional farming practices. It combines nutrition education with better food production, encouraging families to grow and eat more diverse and healthy foods, especially local crops that are resilient to climate change.
The project also helps families earn more money by collaborating with agribusinesses to produce crops that have strong market demand.
In his remarks at the handover, Hon. Wasi expressed the ministry’s happiness in supporting the AIM-N project. He noted that the vehicle would enable the project team to carry out their logistics operations more efficiently.
He also urged the project team to take good care of the vehicle.
AIM-N Project Manager Samantha Maeke, in receiving the vehicle, thanked the ministry for their support.
“On behalf of the AIM-N Project, I would like to sincerely thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock for providing us with a project vehicle. This support strengthens our ability to reach farmers, deliver services on time, and implement our activities more effectively across our communities. We are grateful for MAL’s ongoing partnership and commitment to improving agriculture in the Solomon Islands,” she said.
The AIM-N project operates in the Solomon Islands (Choiseul, Isabel, and Western Provinces) and Vanuatu (Malampa, Penama, and Tafea Provinces), benefiting 130 rural communities.
The project is expected to reach 32,500 beneficiaries (16,250 in each country), including 6,122 rural households (30,610 people), 1,800 students in six secondary schools, and 90 MSME owners in the Solomon Islands.
The project aims to improve nutrition, access to markets, and income generation, with 50 percent of beneficiaries being women and 20 percent youth.
All direct beneficiaries will be Indigenous Peoples, with a focus on improving food security, livelihoods, and resilience in these rural communities.
Awareness of the project is scheduled to begin in mid-January 2026 in Western Province, with awareness in Isabel and Choiseul Provinces to follow.
In the Solomon Islands, the AIM-N project aligns with key national policies aimed at promoting inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty, and ensuring food security.
It directly contributes to the Agriculture Sector Growth and Investment Plan (ASGIP) 2021-2030, particularly in strengthening local supply chains, increasing horticultural crop availability, and enhancing food and income security.
The project’s gender and social strategy also aligns with ASGIP’s focus on gender and social inclusion. AIM-N supports the National Food Security, Safety, and Nutrition Policy 2019-2023, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s new corporate plan for 2025-2028, which aims to improve farmer resilience and market connectivity.
– MAL Press Release
