OVERVIEW
The Rural Outer Island (ROI) Development Programme will complement the assistance currently provided to the agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors. The Programme is intended to improve:
- living standards through more economic empowerment activities.
- rural infrastructure.
- market access.
- community resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and risk-informed development; and
- promote value-adding activities.
The Programme has three components focusing on the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries sectors.
FISHERIES
- FISH AGGREGATE DEVICE
Eligibility Criteria:
- Application is open for communal undertaking only; and
- Communities assisted under this Programme will be based on the advice of the Ministry of Fisheries.
- INSTALLATION OF BLAST FREEZERS
Eligibility Criteria:
- Application is open to communities, OR members of a registered cooperative.
AGRICULTURE
- LAND PREPARATION
Eligibility Criteria:
- Application is open to farming groups or community.
- Applicant is a member of an active farming cluster, and OR member of a registered cooperative
- Evidence that the intended land area to be cleared is 1 acre or more;
- Combined annual household income from farming activities is $30,000 or less; and
- Ability to pay one-third (1/3) of total hiring cost.
- COLLECTION CENTRES
Eligibility Criteria:
- Ability to provide one-third (1/3) contribution in-kind and evidence of land consent for the proposed site; and
- Support from applicable government agencies (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries, etc.).
FORESTRY
- CARVING and portable power tools
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicant has traditional knowledge of wood carving, OR joinery;
- Applicant is a member of an active cooperative OR a legally registered group OR a forest resource-based group;
- For group applicants as stated above, an agreement must be in place on the rotational use of the carving and portable power tools amongst the members of the group.
- Individual applicant must be earning income from wood carving, OR joinery prior to applying for assistance with a combined annual household income of $30,000 or less; and
- Ability to pay 1/3 contribution.
- PORTABLE SAWMILLS
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicant can be an individual or community who is a beneficiary of a pine scheme/ native-owned forest;
- Applicant is a member of an active cooperative OR a legally registered group OR a forest resource-based group;
- For group applicants as stated above, an agreement must be in place on the rotational use of the portable sawmill amongst the members of the group.
- Individual applicant must be earning income from timber manufacturing prior to applying for assistance with a combined annual household income of $30,000 or less;
- Ability to provide one-third (1/3) contribution in-kind and evidence of land consent for the proposed site; and
- If an applicant is a cooperative, an agreement must be in place on the rotational use of the portable sawmill amongst the members of the cooperative.
GENERAL ELIGIBLE CRITERIA FOR ROI:
- Applicants must reside permanently in a village or rural settlement recognised by the Provincial Council or District Advisory Councillor (DAC);
- The application must be endorsed by the Turaga ni Koro or DAC; and
- Individual applicants must be 18-years and above
NOTE:
- Request for assistance outside of the 4 sectors can still be considered if it meets the objectives and the general eligibility criteria of the ROI Development Programme.
- Applications for the ROI Programme will be vetted by the Technical Working Group established by the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development.