Overview:
Palau’s Bureau of Agriculture marked Earth Month with a wide-ranging series of environmental and community activities across the country, from school farming projects and youth tree planting to sustainable food demonstrations and student agribusiness training. The month-long initiative highlighted BOA’s commitment to promoting agriculture, environmental stewardship and community partnerships beyond Earth Day.
By: Telbi Yano
Celebrating Earth Month in full force, the Bureau of Agriculture (BOA) carried out a dynamic series of activities across Palau, partnering with schools and agencies to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.
In building anticipation for Earth Day, BOA’s Horticulture Division kicked off a series of activities starting from April 16 to April 18, first they started by assisting Ngeremlengui Elementary School with land preparation for student farming projects. The following day, vegetable seedlings were donated to the Palau Red Cross Society in support of the first anniversary celebration of the Sengsond Thrift Store at Ernguul Park.
Continuing its outreach, BOA partnered with the Bureau of Environment to support a youth-led tree planting activity in Ngerbeched, providing fruit trees to encourage environmental stewardship among young people. Together they planted turang, avocado, kingkang, and kisakes.
On April 22, BOA expanded its support to schools by donating fruit trees to Melekeok Elementary School, reinforcing the importance of agriculture and sustainability in education.
Then during Earth Day on April 24, BOA remained active in community events participating in the Palau Visitors Authority Green Fair at Ernguul Park in collaboration with the Japan Embassy, where they promoted healthy eating through green leafy vegetables grown using OTEC hydroponics systems from Melekeok. Patrons also had the opportunity to enjoy sushi and complimentary side dishes prepared using produce from the hydroponics system, offering a firsthand taste of locally grown, sustainable food.
Horticulture extension staff also return to Ngeremlengui on the same day to present to Ngeremlengui Elementary School students soil management practices for their school farm.
On the same day, BOA Director also engaged students at Palau High School through the Entrepreneurship Academy, joining a panel of senior career advisors, highlighting business, multi-language, scholarship and travel opportunities in agriculture and food security.
Efforts continued April 27, with BOA providing fruit trees to the community of Kayangel State to support local tree planting initiatives.
Earth Month activities extend into May, with BOA facilitating a student learning experience on May 8, where agriculture major students visited the cage-free poultry farm of Harry Besebes alongside the Livestock Division, gaining agribusiness insights from one of the largest private egg producers in Palau. In return, the students gave back by donating and planting papaya plants and joining beach clean-up. Koror State Solid Waste Management presented to the students before collecting the ocean plastic that the ongoing capabilities highlighting the ocean plastic collected today would be used to fuel the incubator, generating more chicks for the poultry sector. Japan Embassy with JICA Volunteer led an after-lunch activity for the students through Ikebana flower arrangement with bamboo vases provided by the Division of Horticulture. The students were able to leave having learned a new skill that is environmentally friendly.
Through these activities, the Bureau of Agriculture demonstrated its ongoing commitment to strengthening community partnerships, supporting local agriculture, and promoting sustainable practices across Palau—reminding the public that caring for the environment is a responsibility that extends beyond Earth Day.
