The publication, Coconut: The Tree of Life, a Way of Living, promotes healthy eating, traditional food knowledge and the many uses of coconut, a familiar part of everyday life in Solomon Islands and across the Pacific.
Developed by SPC’s Public Health Division, the book is also designed to help health workers promote local and nutritious food during community outreach programmes.
It brings together traditional stories, practical advice on growing and protecting coconut trees, information about their different uses and more than 40 recipes from across the region.
The cookbook features a variety of coconut-based dishes, including coconut and papaya mousse, mango and coconut crumble, and coconut and avocado salad.
These are among the many recipes readers can try using coconut and other ingredients commonly found throughout the region.
For Solomon Islands, where coconut cream is widely used in cooking and copra provides income for rural families, the publication draws attention to a resource that continues to support both households and the economy.
SPC’s new cookbook offers a practical resource for promoting local food, although it also encourages moderation in the use of coconut oil because of its high saturated fat content.
Protecting coconut production
The publication also addresses threats to coconut farming, including pests and diseases that can reduce production or kill trees.
Among them is the coconut rhinoceros beetle, which has caused damage to coconut palms in Solomon Islands since it was first detected in Honiara in 2015.
The beetle attacks the growing parts of coconut palms, affecting their ability to produce fruit and, in severe cases, killing the trees.
SPC provides advice on identifying coconut pests and reducing their spread, including keeping plantations clear of decaying plant material and regularly inspecting trees.
Protecting coconut production is important for Solomon Islands, particularly in rural communities where families depend on coconuts for food, household needs and income.
World Food Day 2026
World Food Day is observed every year on 16 October to commemorate the establishment of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945.
This year’s theme, Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow., highlights the importance of combining new ideas with traditional knowledge to ensure communities have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food.
SPC’s cookbook reflects that approach by bringing together recipes, cultural traditions and practical information about a resource that has supported Pacific communities for centuries.
The publication is available here and can be downloaded free of charge
Download the cookbook: Coconut: The Tree of Life, a Way of Living (SPC)
