This weeks blog is drawn from the TUTU RURAL TRAINING CENTRE, FIJI, Strategic Plan 2018 - 2023 - the significance of which is clear in these Covid times.

VISION: To be Mary, our Lady of Lura, in using her soil to provide joy through the development and empowerment of people, so that the door to a hopeful future is open to them 

MISSION: The aim of the Tutu Rural Training Centre is to provide a place / presence in which the people of Cakaudrove, and some tikina's of Bua and Macuata are empowered to become more autonomous, and take charge of their lives, in a rapidly changing world. It involves a transforming and reciprocal outreach approach to the people of the Pacific.

UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES GUIDING TUTU

The charism of Tutu is founded on Marist Spirituality: We take our inspiration from the Mystery of the person of Mary in her hidden role of service.

We identify with Mary and her concerns for some of the most urgent needs of people today

We believe ourselves to be graciously chosen by Mary, to make her present, by relating with people as she did and doing Her work in Her place of Tutu today. She is our Leader and we are called to breathe her spirit and bear her name.

We understand that we are to use our talents and resources for the work of Mary not looking for personal fame, influence or prestige. We are to be self-effacing, preferring to be in the background remaining 'hidden and unknown'

We are called to live the three "No's", No to greed, no to pride and no to power

We are called to a shepherd leadership seeking out the lost sheep and prepared to go beyond the boundaries of human comfort and self-interest in order to find the lost where they are (For more detail c.f. "Tutu – Another Way" p.112-124)

Adult learning is a formative process where by a person in and through community assumes responsibility for his/her growth as a person in the service of the world in which he /she lives; it is a process of liberation by which under a skilled guide a person grows in freeing himself/herself from constraints of a personal disorder and a social or cultural order.

The heart of the formation and training is the human person development leading to skill training and management for self- employment using the participants own resources, particularly for youth, married couples and single women

 KEY OVER ALL CONSIDER ATIONS IN THE FORMUL ATION OF THE PL AN AND IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION

Approach to the formation, content and participant selection

• 1.The selection of course participants is based on demonstrable access to land and proven commitment to being farmers within the Tutu catchment area of Cakaudrove, part of Bua and Macuata

• 2.Process begins with felt needs and working responsibly towards their real needs

• 3.The skill training is the vehicle which is used to live out the human development process

• 4.Management with an emphasis and financial and environment sustainability is at the key thrust of the courses offered

• 5.The farming systems and rural enterprises are based on crops and products that have well established marketing systems in place

• 6.The Centre has a local focus but with an international character

• 7.Formation/training is based on regular and frequent oscillation between the participants own farm and the Centre

• 8.Theformation/training program has an appropriate degree of flexibility–with particular courses starting small and evolving over time in line with changing needs of Tutu's catchment area, lesson's learned and the capability of staff.

• 9.Participants make a significant contribution to the Centre through in–kind voluntary work

• 10.An intensive extension/visitation effort is provided by staff to participants–prior to, during and following each course

• 11.A significant resource is Tutu's credibility and involvement with parents and traditional leaders

• 12.Visitation and running of three days village seminar.

• 13.Courses are open to all religions, ethnic groups and levels of formal education but the participants must be fluent in the 'I Taukei'  [Fijian] language

 Management and Staffing

• 1.Core course staff are discerned and called on the basis of their spousal relationship and their ability to lead through relationship; they are trained and formed in Tutu

• 2.Management is highly participatory and responsive to the needs of the participants

• 3.Full advantage is made of appropriate outside technical inputs to support the formation programs when required

​Sustainability and accountability

• 1.The ongoing monitoring and recording of course participants ability to achieve sustainable and worthwhile livelihoods from the utilization of their own resources

• 2.The demand for courses from our participants is the main source of in built accountability

• 3.Increasing financial self-sufficiency in a manner that does not undermine Tutu's core formation function and philosophy

• 4.Increasing the Centre's income generation from its own land resources in a manner that strengthens the Centre's core function
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Governance

• 1.Board and outside structures such as having audits and complying

• 2.Maintenance of the long standing partnership with the community , the government and the company shareholder
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The TUTU RURAL TRAINING CENTRE Strategic Plan has 7 broad goals

1. Sustainable expansion of formation/self-employment training programs for youth, married couples and single women.

• 2.Increasing Centre's long-term financial self-sufficiency through the sustainable use of Tutu's own resources

• 3.Increase food and nutritional security at Tutu and beyond

• 4.Restoring and enhancing soil fertility at Tutu and beyond

• 5.Maintaining and improving the quality of Tutu infrastructure (roads, housing etc)

• 6.Establishing good governance structure

• 7.Successfully implementation of the NZ CARITAS NZ MFAT funded project: "Consolidating Rural Training in the Northern Provinces of Fiji

​Increasing Centre's long term financial self- sufficiency through the sustainable use of Tutu's own resources

ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL

• The teak planting, and the agroforestry and fruit tree development programs.

• Sustainable of yaqona and dalo production

• Breadfruit flour and other agro processing products for course participant consumption and for local market sales

• The sale of ornamental plants, pot plants, flower to the wider community

• Planting of masi

• Jewellery Making

• Bee Farming

• Fish Farming

• Leasing of surplus housing resources

• Establishment of the Tutu Trust

• Increase production of electricity

• Harnessing surplus water resource – including the establishment of irrigations systems for taro and other crops

SOME KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Planting and maintaining 10,000 teak trees

• Planting of 1,500 yasi [sandal wood] plant

• Increasing annual income derived from dalo and yaqona sales – projected to reach $200,000 by the end of the Plan period

• Income generated from the sale of papaya, dragon fruit, rambutan, breadfruit flour, ornamental plants and other products – projected to reach $50,000 by the end of Plan period.

• High occupancy rate of surplus housing maintained

• Significant financial contribution made to the Tutu Trust

• Income generated from selling of electricity to Fiji Electricity Authority

​Increase food and nutritional security at Tutu and beyond

ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL

• The breadfruit, fruit tree and vegetable program

• The root crop diversification program focusing on climate resilient crops such as dalo ni tana and Tivoli ni Samoa, carrot kumala and kaile.

• Some key performance indicators

• The quantity of breadfruit, fruit and vegetables grown and consumed at Tutu

• The quantity of breadfruit, fruit and vegetables consumed at participants home farms

• The quantity of climate resilient root crop (grown and consumed at Tutu

SOME KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• The quantity of breadfruit, fruit and vegetables grown and consumed at Tutu

• The quantity of breadfruit, fruit and vegetables consumed at participants home farms

• The quantity of climate resilient root crop (grown and consumed at Tutu

• The quantity of climate resilient root crop grown on participants home farm

        Restoring and enhancing soil fertility at Tutu and beyond

ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL

• The widespread introduction of soil fertility enhancing cropping systems – mucuna beans, vetiver grass, alley cropping and composting.

• Soil schools, and sustainable agriculture outreach and extension programs

• Collaborating with Teitei Taveuni, MoA and other organizations in their sustainable agriculture programs

• Enhancing environmental responsibility and beautification mind set of stall and course participants

• The establishment of flower nursery at St Joseph

SOME KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• 60% of Tutu land to be covered by mucuna by the end of Plan

• The rate of adoption of adoption of kaliyandra, drala, bainicagi and vetiver grass into the cropping system at Tutu

• The rate of adoption of sustainable fertility enhancing cropping on Tutu staff farms and participants home farms

• Continuation of sustainable agriculture programs with partner organizations.

• The continued planting native and ornamental trees around Tutu; and The successful establishment of an ornamental nursery at St Joseph and the adoption of ornamental nurseries by individual families

• The nursery to be filled with orchids.

        Establishing good governance structure

ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL

• Formation and operation of the Board in terms of Non Formal Education approach.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Regularity of meetings and attendance of Board members

• Record of minutes

• Recommendations and decisions made and their implementation