‘Organic Ngalinuts of Baniata’, a film chronicling the journey of the ngalinut (Canarium Indicum), once a food for the gods, from the forests of Rendova Island in the Solomons to the markets in New Caledonia has released.

The ngalinuts of Baniata are undergoing organic certification using a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) promoted by POETCom.

Baniata elders and the people first pledged to keep Baniata organic in June 2015. POETCom assisted in training the community on organic principles and establishing certification structures.

Available for viewing on the POETCom Youtube account, ‘Organic Ngalinuts of Baniata’ first aired as a curtain raiser for the Pacific Community’s ‘Pacific Way’ 2017 Season viewed in most Pacific Island countries.
It details the steps along the nuts’ journey, the harvest, cracking of nuts using ancient tools, baking using traditional earth ovens and packing in Honiara for exports to Biomonde in New Caledonia.

Access here  https://youtu.be/dmh9xD6WuG4 

Baniata women and girls as traditional ngalinut harvesters are the main actors. The ngalinut craft passes down the maternal line from mother to daughter, over centuries. Women sell the ngalinut to pay for children’s school fees, meet basic family nutritional needs and to access medical services.

With organic certification, Sol Agro, an organic food exporting company bought the ngalinuts right from the women’s doorsteps at a higher price, 400 Solomon Dollars per 20-litres sized bucket. Before the women sold for a 100 dollars less, at the New Georgia market which is two hours by boat away.

Former coordinator for POETCom Karen Mapusua believes, ‘Organic certification can be really useful for communities looking to improve their social and economic development because it provides access to new markets and adds value to community returns,’ while being great for environment protection and sustainable living.

Ngalinut harvesters Dorence Walter, 56 and Mizipa Ghumi, 51 accompanied their products to New Caledonia.

It is an epic journey, of people, and their organic products, cultures connected across miles of ocean from the forests to the markets.
Watch it!

POETCom produced the ‘Organic Ngalinuts of Baniata’ jointly with the European Union funded Increasing Agriculture Commodities and Trade Project of the Land Resources Division of the Pacific Community and the Pacific Way Team.

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