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As food prices continue to climb in Palau’s high-cost island economy, families are feeling the strain of putting healthy meals on the table. Community leader Jodean is calling for practical, homegrown solutions — from backyard farming and food processing to nutrition education — urging households to embrace the Palauan proverb “mdelmii a kelel a klukuk” — plant now for the future harvest. Her message: food security starts at home, with coordinated support and traditional wisdom leading the way.
By: Laurel Marewibuel
KOROR, Palau — In Palau’s pricey island economy, households grapple with soaring costs that threaten long-term food security, but community leaders like Chief of Agriculture Jodean Remengesau see a path forward through homegrown solutions and traditional wisdom.
Taro (kukau), a local crop promoted for food security. Photo credit: Island Times
“In Palau’s high-cost economy, what do you see as the most significant challenges households face in achieving long-term food security?” Jodean posed during a recent event she moderated. Her answer: a coordinated push for tailored food security assistance. “Access to a coordinated effort to food security assistance packages tailored to households to ensure basic or starting home production is met and focal points follow up to ensure certain achievables are met and any challenges are reported and addressed with the right experts,” she said.
Jodean emphasized linking this to health initiatives. “The other side of this is the health sector and NCD outreach ensuring nutrition education is reached at the household level,” she added. “This is where cheldebechel and leadership go hand in hand with the efforts of the Bureau of Agriculture and partner agencies. Access to food processing trainings and workshops to ensure young family households are processing excess fruits and traditional foods and this again is where cheldebechel can provide.”
On reducing reliance on imports, Jodean highlighted local production’s power. “How are local household production efforts and community partnerships contributing to reducing reliance on imported food?” she asked. “Provides the opportunity of choice for the household to make more local food choices and not spend money at the store. Community partnerships help the even the most vulnerable of households access local food.”
Looking ahead, Jodean invoked a timeless Palauan proverb as a call to action: “What practical steps can families and communities take to strengthen sustainable food stability moving forward? I refer to a Palauan proverb ‘mdelmii a kelel a klukuk’ — Plant now for the future harvest.”
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