title: An NGO approach for addressing the nutrition dilemma: Pohnpei focuses on awareness, food analysis, conservation, and food processing.
abstract: The establishment of the Island Food Community of Pohnpei, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, presents a new approach for promoting Pacific Island food for its health and many other benefits. Its vision is holistic, stressing the importance of island food for sustainable development, economic benefits, self-reliance, improved health, cultural preservation, and human dignity, at the same time protecting the natural resources. A major reason for the establishment of this NGO is the emergence of an epidemic of nutrition-related health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, vitamin A deficiency, and anemia. Although health is at the cornerstone of the establishment of this NGO and health officers are integrally involved, the project is closely associated with the agriculture sector. The Island Food Community of Pohnpei works via an ethnographic participatory inter-agency approach, and its activities include the identification and promotion of nutrient-rich varieties of the traditional staple foods, incorporating the 'Yellow Varieties Message'. There are also activities to conserve rare varieties and to develop small-scale food processing.
authors.affiliation: Island Food Community of Pohnpei, Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia. nutrition@mail.fm
authors.forename: Lois
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Englberger
authors.forename: Adelino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lorens
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raynor
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levendusky
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Welsihter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hagilmai
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weilbacher
authors.forename: Rufino
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mauricio
authors.forename: Eliuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pretrick
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kostka
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ehsa
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andreas
authors.forename: Wehns
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Billen
mesh_terms: D005511:Food Handling; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008849:Micronesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009938:Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration*