FRIEND Fiji – Fiji

Backyard Gardening and Healthy Cooking for Improved Nutrition

Partners in Aid works with the Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development (FRIEND Fiji) to help Fijian families improve nutrition, food security, and household income through sustainable backyard gardening.

The project supports 50 households across Bila Settlement and Koroqaqa Village in western Fiji. Each family is trained to establish a small “9 x 9” garden — nine types of crops grown in a nine-square layout to promote crop diversity and year-round food supply. Participants learn organic farming methods, seed saving, and healthy cooking techniques using locally available herbs, vegetables, and root crops.

This simple but effective model helps families return to traditional, nutritious foods while reducing reliance on imported and processed meals. Surplus produce can be sold in local markets, providing an additional income stream.

By the end of the project, most households will be growing and eating their own fresh food several times a week, and many will have started their own seed banks to sustain the program beyond the project period.

Together with FRIEND Fiji, Partners in Aid is helping Fijian communities build lasting food security, better health, and resilience — one backyard garden at a time.