The Pacific Innovation Forum for Climate and Environment (PIFCE) 1st - 3rd July, 2026

FEMTEL ORGANIC

Brief overview

FEMTEL Organic is a newly established Vanuatu-based enterprise founded by a local entrepreneur with over 5–7 years of experience in biomass energy production using coconut shells. The business is evolving to integrate sustainable, health-focused solutions by combining renewable resource expertise with natural wellness products.

In 2025, FEMTEL Organic initiated and successfully secured a partnership to import raw magnesium from Australia, enabling local processing into magnesium oil.

This product is designed to support overall well-being across all age groups, addressing various skin conditions and common health concerns while promoting environmentally responsible, locally driven innovation.

Your organisation’s goals

FEMTEL Organic delivers environmentally focused solutions that address the impacts of climate change on both natural resources and community health in Vanuatu. Building on its experience in biomass processing using coconut shells, the organisation promotes sustainable use of local materials while reducing waste and emissions. Its core service now integrates this environmental approach with health support by producing magnesium-based oil from responsibly sourced raw materials.

Climate change in the Pacific has intensified heat, UV exposure, and environmental stressors, contributing to increased skin conditions, dehydration, and general health challenges, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those in remote communities. FEMTEL Organic’s magnesium oil provides an accessible, low-cost wellness alternative that can be used locally to help manage minor health conditions, reducing reliance on long-distance travel to central hospitals.

By combining sustainable production, local processing, and community-based health support, FEMTEL Organic contributes to climate resilience, promotes circular resource use, and supports improved well-being while lowering the environmental and financial burden associated with healthcare access.

Describe your innovation

FEMTEL Organic’s key innovation is the integration of coconut-shell biomass processing with locally manufactured magnesium oil production, creating a dual-purpose system that supports both environmental sustainability and community health. Traditionally, coconut shells are treated as agricultural waste; however, FEMTEL Organic converts this biomass into energy for processing activities, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering carbon emissions. This circular approach transforms waste into a valuable energy source while supporting small-scale, low-impact manufacturing.

The second component of this innovation is the local processing of imported raw magnesium into magnesium oil, a health-support product designed to address conditions commonly exacerbated by climate change, such as skin damage from increased UV exposure, dehydration, and heat-related stress. By producing this solution locally, FEMTEL Organic reduces the need for imported finished products, thereby lowering transport emissions and strengthening local supply chains.

This innovation is particularly relevant for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), where communities are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including rising temperatures, increased solar radiation, and limited access to healthcare services—especially in outer islands. The combination of renewable biomass energy and local health product manufacturing enhances resilience by promoting self-sufficiency, reducing environmental waste, and providing affordable, accessible health support.

Furthermore, the model aligns with sustainable development goals by linking climate action, responsible consumption, and community well-being. It demonstrates how small island economies can adopt low-cost, scalable solutions that utilise locally available resources while addressing both environmental and social challenges in a practical and impactful way.

How is this solution is innovative?

FEMTEL Organic’s solution is innovative because it combines renewable biomass energy with local health product manufacturing in a way that directly addresses both environmental and community challenges. Instead of treating coconut shells as waste, the organisation converts them into a sustainable energy source to support its processing operations, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering emissions. This circular approach promotes efficient resource use and minimizes environmental impact. In addition, FEMTEL Organic introduces local production of magnesium oil in Vanuatu, transforming imported raw materials into value-added health products within the country. This reduces dependency on imported finished goods, cuts transportation-related emissions, and strengthens local supply chains. The innovation also lies in its dual-impact model, where environmental sustainability is directly linked to improving human well-being. By providing an affordable, locally produced solution for common health issues—many of which are intensified by climate change—the approach supports vulnerable communities, particularly those in remote areas with limited access to healthcare. Overall, FEMTEL Organic’s model is a practical, scalable innovation tailored to small island contexts, integrating climate action, waste-to-resource solutions, and accessible healthcare into one sustainable system.

How can the innovation be replicated and scaled up in other PICTs?

FEMTEL Organic’s innovation can be replicated and scaled across other Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) through a combination of institutional partnerships, adaptable financing, and local capacity building.

First, partnerships with government agencies (e.g., ministries of health, environment, and agriculture), NGOs, and regional organisations such as the Pacific Community (SPC) can support policy alignment, product certification, and community outreach. Collaboration with local cooperatives and women’s groups can also strengthen distribution networks, especially in remote islands.

Second, scalable financing models may include public–private partnerships (PPP), microfinance schemes, and climate funding mechanisms (e.g., Green Climate Fund or small grants programs). These approaches can support initial setup costs, equipment procurement, and working capital while ensuring affordability of the final product.

Third, capacity requirements involve training local communities in biomass processing, basic manufacturing, quality control, and small business management. Knowledge transfer can be facilitated through technical workshops and partnerships with regional training institutions.

Because coconut biomass is widely available across the Pacific, and health access challenges are common, this model is highly transferable. Its low-cost, modular design allows small-scale implementation that can gradually expand, making it a practical and sustainable solution for climate resilience and community well-being across PICTs.

How is the solution cost‑effective and affordable in the context of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)?

FEMTEL Organic’s solution is highly cost-effective and affordable for end users across Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). The model is designed with a strong focus on community accessibility, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and those living in remote areas.

By producing magnesium oil locally using renewable biomass energy from coconut shells, the organisation reduces reliance on imported finished products, which are often expensive due to shipping and logistics costs. This allows the final product to be offered at a more affordable price compared to similar imported alternatives.

From the end-user perspective, the solution provides significant value for money. It offers a practical, low-cost option for managing common health conditions, reducing the need for frequent travel to hospitals or clinics—an expense that can be substantial in island contexts. For many users, especially in outer islands, this translates into savings on transportation, accommodation, and medical consultation costs.

Additionally, the product supports improved well-being, which can enhance productivity and quality of life. In this way, the benefits gained—health support, convenience, and reduced expenses—far outweigh the cost of the product itself, making it an affordable and impactful solution for communities across the Pacific.

Locations (country, island, or community) where this solution has been piloted and/or implemented

FEMTEL Organic’s solution has been piloted and implemented in Vanuatu, primarily within local communities on the island of Efate, where the capital Port Vila is located. Initial activities have focused on small-scale production and community-level engagement, targeting households, elderly populations, and individuals with limited access to healthcare services. The use of coconut shell biomass for energy has been tested in local processing setups, while magnesium oil production has been introduced as a locally manufactured health-support product. The pilot implementation emphasizes accessibility and affordability, allowing community members to benefit from the product without needing to travel long distances for basic health support. Informal distribution and awareness have been carried out through local networks, enabling early feedback and gradual uptake. This localized pilot approach provides a practical foundation for scaling the solution to other islands within Vanuatu and across similar Pacific Island contexts.

Learn more:

Our website is in development, but we are eager to share with you our partner in Australia: www.HolisticOrganicMagnesium.com

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute

About

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute (AVOI) is a science-led, community-driven initiative advancing marine restoration, climate resilience and sustainable blue economy development in Vanuatu. Through its Havannah Harbour pilot, AVOI integrates Reef Ball deployment, artificial reef design, drone-enabled monitoring and workforce training via the Vanuatu Ocean Rangers. The model combines innovation and local stewardship to restore ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity and support climate adaptation. By linking technology, community engagement and practical delivery, AVOI is developing a scalable national framework that helps translate ocean policy into measurable outcomes, creating jobs, building local capability and supporting long-term environmental resilience across island communities.

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute (AVOI) delivers integrated, science-led services focused on marine restoration, climate resilience and sustainable environmental management. Its core services include the design and deployment of Reef Ball artificial reef systems and managed vessel reefs to restore degraded marine habitats, enhance biodiversity and support fisheries recovery. AVOI also provides drone-enabled monitoring and survey services, using autonomous and manned systems to track climate impacts, support conservation planning and improve data-driven decision-making across marine and coastal environments.

A central component is the development of the Vanuatu Ocean Rangers program, which builds local workforce capability in restoration, monitoring, conservation and environmental stewardship. AVOI also supports Marine Protected Area (MPA) design, ecological baseline assessments and long-term monitoring frameworks aligned with national ocean policy objectives.

Through community engagement, eco-tourism integration and applied innovation, AVOI connects environmental protection with economic opportunity. Its Havannah Harbour pilot serves as a scalable model to deliver practical climate adaptation, strengthen ecosystem resilience and enable coordinated, whole-of-government environmental outcomes across Vanuatu.

The Innovation

One of AVOI’s key innovations is the integration of the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program with locally delivered marine restoration systems, including Reef Ball fabrication and deployment. This model combines workforce development, community engagement and practical restoration into a single, scalable framework designed for island environments.

Through structured Vanuatu Ocean Ranger Camps, over a 3 day period AVOI identifies and trains local Ni-Vanuatu participants in marine conservation, Scientific diving, restoration techniques, monitoring and stewardship. One aspect of the Rangers responsibilities is to support the fabrication and deployment of Reef Ball artificial reef systems using locally sourced materials and regional supply chains, significantly reducing costs and increasing local ownership. The approach enables degraded reef systems to be restored while simultaneously building in-country capability and employment pathways, guided by our National AVOI Play Book at its core.

This innovation directly addresses climate change by strengthening reef resilience, supporting fisheries recovery and enhancing coastal protection against storm surge and extreme weather events. It also improves ecosystem health, which is critical for food security and long-term adaptation in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

What makes this model particularly relevant for PICTs is its practicality and scalability. It does not rely on high-cost external inputs but instead builds local capacity, integrates customary stewardship and aligns with government policy frameworks. The system can be replicated across islands using a consistent training, deployment and governance approach.

Supported by drone-enabled monitoring and AI self learning data collection, AVOI’s model provides a cost-effective, community-led solution that connects restoration, climate resilience and sustainable economic opportunity in a way that is both locally grounded and nationally scalable.

How is this solution innovative?

AVOI’s solution is innovative because it integrates community workforce development, marine restoration and applied technology into a single, scalable delivery model tailored for island environments. Rather than treating conservation, employment and climate adaptation as separate challenges, AVOI combines them through the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program and locally delivered Reef Ball restoration systems. This creates a practical pathway where communities are directly trained and employed to restore and monitor their own marine ecosystems. The model also incorporates drone-enabled monitoring and emerging AI-supported survey systems to improve data collection, ecological tracking and rapid response capability, including in remote and disaster-affected areas. This blend of low-cost, locally sourced restoration methods with advanced monitoring technology allows for both accessibility and scientific rigour. What makes the approach particularly innovative is its focus on scalability and replication. By developing a standardised training, deployment and governance framework, AVOI provides a repeatable model based on a National AVOI Play book that can be adapted across Pacific Island Countries, helping translate policy into measurable, community-led climate and environmental outcomes.

How can the innovation be replicated and scaled up in other PICTs

AVOI’s model is designed for replication across Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) through a structured, partnership-driven and capacity-focused approach. Following an initial two-year proof-of-concept in Vanuatu, AVOI will develop a refined National PICT Playbook outlining standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safe work method statements (SWMS), delivered in both English and Bislama, with visual and pictorial elements to ensure accessibility across diverse communities.

Scaling will be enabled through institutional partnerships with government agencies, regional bodies, scientific partners such as UTS, and local stakeholders, supported by blended financing models including public-private partnerships, eco-tourism revenue streams and conservation funding.

A key component is the development of a simplified, citizen science-based survey framework focused on key indicator species. This approach lowers technical barriers, enabling participation from communities with varying levels of formal education while strengthening data collection and stewardship.

By combining local workforce training, accessible science, and standardised systems, AVOI creates a practical, low-cost model that can be adapted regionally, empowering communities while supporting climate resilience, biodiversity restoration and sustainable economic development across PICTs.

Is your solution cost‑effective and affordable in the context of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)?

AVOI’s solution is designed to be highly cost-effective and affordable for communities, local governments and small operators across PICTs. A core principle of the model is the use of locally available materials, including aggregates from regional quarries and, where appropriate, surplus or repurposed government materials. This significantly reduces construction and deployment costs for Reef Ball systems and associated infrastructure.

From an end-user perspective, the model lowers financial barriers by building local capability through the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger Camp Initiative and subsequent program, reducing reliance on external expertise and enabling communities to deliver and maintain restoration activities themselves. The integration of eco-tourism also creates revenue-generating opportunities that can help offset ongoing costs.

Affordability is further strengthened through the development of a streamlined cross-departmental approval pathway within the AVOI Playbook. By providing clear guidance on site selection, environmental considerations and standardised processes, local governments can reduce delays, duplication and administrative costs, enabling more efficient project delivery at scale.

Together, these elements create a low-cost, accessible and sustainable model that is practical for widespread adoption across PICTs.

Where is this being piloted?

AVOI’s solution is being piloted in Vanuatu, with Havannah Harbour (North-West Efate) identified as the primary proof-of-concept site, supported by a permanent operational and training hub at Lot 149, Lapita Estate. While over 1,000,000 Reef Balls have been deployed globally across more than 80 countries, this will be the first integrated deployment of this system in Vanuatu. The pilot combines initial baseline surveys across 12 regions using Reef Life Survey (RLS Methodology) prior to any deployments. Once 6 of the sites are selected for deployment we will deploy 50m x 10m of Reef Ball habitat restoration—designed as a 500+ year solution—, allowing us to. Continue to conduct 6 monthly replicated surveys in exactly the same 50m transects to demonstrate recruitment changes providing proof of concept. Together with the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program, which trains and employs local Ni-Vanuatu to deliver restoration, monitoring and stewardship, supported by drone-enabled surveying, community engagement and eco-tourism integration. The approach is intentionally holistic, linking marine restoration, climate resilience, workforce development, local supply chains and government coordination into a single, place-based model. The Havannah Harbour pilot will be used to refine systems, demonstrate measurable outcomes and establish a scalable framework for national and regional replication across PICTs, through the development of our AVOI National Playbook, helping guide replication across all our satellite sites. Initial training will be conducted through AVOI Headquarters in Havannah Harbour, with Ranger selection conducted through a multi-day conservation camp where participant will all leave with new knowledge and appreciation for the terrestrial and marine environment, and Ocean Rangers selected for employment within the AVOI team at the conclusion of the camps.