19/04/2025
VANUATU NOMINATED FOR 2027 REGENERATIVE GASTRONOMY AWARDS
“The Director General (DG) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, and Biosecurity (MALFB), Timothy Tumukon, officially announced Vanuatu’s nomination for the 2027 Regenerative Gastronomy Awards at the Regenerative Vanua Collective on Wednesday, 9th of April 2025.
DG Tumukon opened the event by sharing his pride in launching Vanuatu’s nomination for the Regenerative Gastronomy Awards for 2027.
“Thanks to the success of the Regenerative Agritourism Symposium in 2024 and the hard work of a dedicated group, Vanuatu is the first country in the Pacific region to be nominated by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) for the World Region of Gastronomy Award,” he said.
“This award recognises regions that prioritise their food and cultural heritage. This nomination gives us a unique opportunity to shift from shame to pride in showcasing our cultural food heritage to visitors.”
DG Tumukon went on, “We can lead a change in the Pacific from serving imported, Western-based food to visitors and offering unhealthy imported food to our families, to embracing our traditional diets, eating directly from the land, and supporting our farmers and food producers.
“This is not just essential for tackling the rising rates of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and childhood stunting; it is also crucial for strengthening Vanuatu’s resilience to climate change and reducing our reliance on imported food.”
The Executive Director of Regenerative Vanua, Mr. Jerry Spooner, thanked DG Tumukon for his continued support. He also announced the official opening of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the first Regenerative Journey, which will take place on traditional canoes in PENAMA Province in July 2025.
Mr. Spooner said, “We piloted the regenerative journey last year alongside our Regenerative Agritourism Symposium. Due to strong interest from participants, we are now able to officially launch these journeys, starting with PENAMA Province.
“These journeys offer visitors something completely different from the typical Pacific tourism model. This is not for those seeking rest and relaxation in all-inclusive resorts or another adventure holiday. Instead, it’s a regenerative learning experience, facilitated by our Vanuas, that aims to help unlearn harmful knowledge systems and support resilience. Through this nomination and the launch of the Regenerative Journeys, we aim to share our traditional agricultural and food systems with high-value visitors from around the world through regenerative agritourism and gastronomy experiences.”
DG Tumukon closed the launch by stating, “We now have less than two years to demonstrate Vanuatu’s commitment to improving food quality, supporting local food culture, and building on our progress in connecting food and farming culture to visitors through regenerative agritourism and gastronomy. I urge my colleagues, Director Generals, your technical teams, and most importantly, the Ministers, to support this initiative and work with Regenerative Vanua to raise the profile of our local cuisine and farming systems and present them to the world. Let’s continue to lead Vanuatu.”
Individuals interested in learning more about how they can get involved in Regenerative Vanua’s programmes and initiatives can contact Mr. Spooner at [email protected] or visit regenerativevanua.org.”
SOURCE: https://www.dailypost.vu/news/vanuatu-nominated-for-2027-regenerative-gastronomy-awards/article_348a4536-c1b1-59a2-9bf0-d84c630fafdd.html
