There is enough food to get us through this current Covid-19 outbreak, we just need to better organize.

By enough food I am referring to local supplies, the good stuff, the ones we need to eat to keep our immunity strong and bodies healthy.

The livelihood committee is coordinating this effort, but perhaps more needs to be done to allow vendors to move and deliver food. Sure, exemptions have been granted for some vendors, but a mere pass may not be enough.

They need to be mobile, that means proper transportation and capacity to move big amounts of locally sourced fruits and vegetables within the Honiara emergency zone.

There are many residents in Honiara that can afford to buy their own food, but delivery during lockdown will be a challenge. Many of these vendors do not have proper transportation, so would be good to supply them with trucks big enough to do delivery more efficiently.

Also, provide these vendors with necessary safety wear and equipment, and a safety refresher on what to do when delivering goods to private residences.

Guadalcanal is the food basket of our capital city, food that is rich in nutrients and vitamins, the stuff we need, we just need to better coordinate and support farmers and vendors to get their goods to homes in Honiara.

Lockdowns and self-isolation/quarantine is the new normal, we need to adjust accordingly – an approach that is good for farmers and good for our health and well-being during this outbreak.