Summary Report on Vegetable Garden On-going Project to the

Communities in Tongatapu
BY: Lesieli Taoi (Nutritionist)
Background
The Healthy eating program has been identified as a program that can help
communities to reduce unhealthy behaviours lead to non-communicable
diseases. This program is to develop the communities capacity skills on how to
prevent the risks of having NCDs such as eating healthy foods which are readily
available to easy access. Poor food choices indicate the needs of the
communities to improve the way of eating in order to maintain health. There are
some barriers that prevent people from receiving good healthy foods such as
lack of vegetables, increase of processed foods and costs of healthy foods are
unable to afford. Lack of vegetables can create a difference in peoples eating
behaviours and knowledge towards healthy foods.
This project is based on the demands from the communities to improve and
increase the level of vegetables consumption. There are six communities
participated in the project and they are eager to involve as evidence of positive
supports of the program. These six communities are including Popua, Havelu,
Haateiho, Haalalo, Fuaamotu and Nukunuku.
This project is currently underway through partnership between the Ministry of
Health and the Ministry of Agriculture with funding from the World Health
Organization. This partnership is a strong mechanism that helps to strengthen
this on-going process of conducting this program. This project is consisting of
four phases and is currently in phase one. Prior to planting vegetables the
Ministry of Health arranged a meeting with the community coordinators to
discuss the main issues required to be fulfilled before initiation of the program.
These are the main issues that have been addressed in the meeting with the
community coordinators.
- Project Action Plan
- Compliance Checklist - to follow-up each Phase activities
- Phases Timetable
- Agreement Form to help identify those who wish to participate and comply
with all condition supplies.

Four Phases of the Project

FOUR PHASES

PLAN ACTIVITIES

PHASE 1 Preparation

Assessment of vegetable bed

Distribution of vegetable
seedlings, top soil and animal
manure (chicken)

PHASE 2 Planting

Planting of vegetable seedlings

First assessment of vegetable
gardening (check if seedlings are
already planting)

PHASE 3 Inspection

PHASE 4 Harvesting

First Inspection (after three

weeks)
Second inspection (after three
weeks)
Last Inspection
Harvest the Vegetables

Four Phases MODEL

Preparat
ion

Planti
ng

Harvest
ing

Inspect
ion

Project Action PLAN

BUDGET

This on-going project is currently funding by the World Health Organisation

through their allocation budget to utilise for Healthy Eating programs. As without
the assistant of this Donor agency we might not able to implement our activities
in the communities. This fund is utilised to provide the communities with
vegetable seedlings, top soils and animal manures for their vegetable
gardening.

Conclusion

This project is an on-going program that is currently underway in six

communities in Tongatapu. Its a great experience to intervene with the
communities in increasing their potentials and motives towards health. I
commend the enthusiasm and supports of the communities and it shows the
communities willingness to make health changes. At the end of this project we
wish to achieve our goal as people in the communities will create a difference in
their lives for a future Happy and Healthy Tongans.