The 4FJ Fish Smart campaign has partnered with the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation Fiji Radio One to build a national local audience called Qoli Vakamatau (Fish Smart in iTaukei).
The show will run twice-monthly in the iTaukei language, and is one of the most cost-effective platforms to engage hard-to-reach communities across Fiji. Places that need critical information and practical local solutions to sustainably manage their fishing grounds to protect their livelihoods and secure their food security.
The first two shows are now available for catch up on YouTube (in iTaukei) and feature local experts engaging in a national talanoa about the problems and challenges that place pressure on Fiji’s fishing grounds, and ideas and solutions to Fish Smart. Inviting people to call in has become a growing feature, providing content writers with ideas and insights for future shows as well. The shows are also live streamed on the 4FJ Movement Facebook page, which has nearly 20,000 followers.
Show guests to date have included internationally recognised community advocate Alifereti Tawake from the LMMA Network International, Lisala Waqalala, a fisherman from Vitawa village and the first 4FJ fisher champion, and Alumeci Nakeke, long term campaigner and communications officer from cChange Pacific, who created the campaign.
The opportunity of hosting 48 shows over 2 years means we have plenty of airtime to build an authentic and engaging talanoa about Fishing Smart. The carefully considered format, which is informed by a technical advisory group of community-based fisheries management experts was also intentional to reflect the reality at the grassroots where communities come together and discuss problems and challenges and ideas and solutions.
4FJ Fish Smart Radio Show 1 sets the scene for a national talanoa about Fishing Smart. There are ways we used to fish and new ways to fish that can help ensure our fishing grounds can support our needs today and tomorrow.
Catch up on our second Qoli Vakamatau Radio Talk Back Show to hear from local experts about how fishing has changed in Fiji!
Beyond the airwaves
But the Qoli Vakamatau Radio Show is more than airwaves.
The frequency of the show presents the 4FJ Fish Smart campaign with a live platform to test key messages, seek feedback and gather ideas from the grassroots and experts to further inform a living information strategy. Having 48 shows in the pipeline affords the team behind the show to refine key messages, guiding questions, training for guests to stay on message and monitor the evolution of the radio show to diversify ways build a national audience twice monthly on a Wednesday afternoon.
The radio show is made possible by the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) Programme, with guidance from the Pacific Community and the Locally-Managed Marine Area Network International. The radio program is also funded through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative. Key local partners for implementation include the Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program, the Fiji Locally-Managed Marine Area Network, Conservation International, and International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
The campaign has high hopes for the program, which allows listeners, fishers in rural areas to learn from local experts, hear from other fishers about how they have changed their fishing practices to Fish Smart and build trust with the 4FJ Fish Smart campaign to hopefully become community champions. The program is part of larger Information Strategy that aims to empower all communities in Fiji to better manage their marine resources. It’s part of what the LMMA International calls the 100% Solution.
Stick with us as we learn and share our results in an effort to help both Fiji and the region do more to help Pacific Island communities better meet their needs through their ocean resources.
For more information about the Qoli Vakamatau Radio Show, please contact us 4fj@cchange4good.org