A new initiative to contribute towards rural prosperity in the Pacific Islands by creating increased demand for locally grown foods will receive the support of OSTA, a unique regional Pacific Islands public & private sector network which aims to increase community benefits form sustainable tourism.

It’s the brainchild of passionate Pacific people, Dr Tracy Berno, formerly the head of the tourism and hospitality program at University of the South Pacific and Fiji raised Robert Oliver a Caribbean/US based Chef best known for the development of high profile tropical restaurants and food program development in the South Pacific, the USA and the Caribbean. A third partner in the project, Shiri, is a talented photographer and book/graphic designer is based in Fiji

The first project is to publish a high quality cookbook, MAI KANA PACIFIC: The food and flavors of Fiji and the South Pacific.

‘Ít will be more than just a cookbook’ explained Robert Oliver. ‘Through our shared passion for the peoples, cultures and foods of the South Pacific, we will create a book that sets the standard for the region. We are aiming to improve the high quality of fresh, healthy food offered to the South Pacific’s tourism markets. There will be some traditional recipes and some not-so-traditional recipes, but they will all use local ingredients.’

‘The book will not only provide an informative source on traditional and contemporary cuisines of the Pacific, but it also presents an opportunity to contribute to and invest in the sustainable development of the region.’ said co-author, Dr Tracy Berno. ‘It’s also about connecting tourism to agriculture, farmers to hotels and getting more tourism dollars to stay in the local island economies.’

‘MAI KANA PACIFIC will be a book that is underpinned by a philosophy of sustainable tourism, sustainable agriculture and sustainable cuisine’ said Rex Horoi, The CEO of the regional NGO, Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific International (FSPI), a founding partner of the Oceania Sustainable Tourism Alliance (OSTA)

“MAI KANA PACIFIC will be about more than the flagship cookbook.’ said Lelei LeLaulu , also a founding partner of the OSTA. Mr LeLaulu is also Chair of the Board of FSPI and President of the Washington DC based Counterpart International. ‘It’s also about raising the awareness of Pacific foods as part of the tourism product, support a education and training component for agricultural producers as well as hotel chefs and hospitality/catering educators on the supply and use of local products in the tourism sector.’ ‘

‘Global tourism drives history’s greatest voluntary shift of wealth from rich to poor, and we see this MAI KANA initiative as an innovative approach to improving the livelihoods of people throughout the Pacific which relies so heavily on the tourism industry for its economic pulse.’ added Lelei.

The new MAI KANA PACIFIC website is under construction

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