The team has been speaking with fishers, processors, value-adding entrepreneurs, market sellers, domestic industry representatives, Island Council members, and government partners to better understand the opportunities and challenges for increasing local benefits from tuna resources. Lisa Buchanan says ' Early findings of this field work highlight the vital role tuna plays in both food security and income generation in Kiribati.' She further added that the supply chains are often short, with fish moving quickly from fishers to markets, households, businesses, and community networks.

Participants identified range of priorities that could help strengthen tuna-related livelihoods, including improved access to equipment, processing space, reliable water and power supplies, food-safe facilities, safety equipment, and suitable places to prepare, process, and sell tuna. The fieldwork also highlighted the importance of local organisation and community decision-making. Fishers often work in small groups for safety, survival, and business, while communities play an important role in balancing affordable access to tuna with fair returns for fishers.

Kiribati’s tuna livelihood system is resilient and adaptive, but also influenced by factors such as weather, climate change, seasonality, fuel and import costs, safety at sea, and fluctuations in tuna supply.

What next from the fieldwork, this could share future assistance under the auspices of FFA to inform a practical regional framework for future support to small- and medium-scale tuna processing, value-adding, and sustainable tuna-based livelihoods across the region. The FFA team and MFOR sincerely extends worrds of gratitude for the support of those willingliness to form part of this field work. Ko rabwa Kiribati for welcoming us and sharing your stories.