In December last year Cyclone Zoe hit the volcanic island of Tikopia, in the Solomon Islands, destroying much of its food crop. What they managed to re-grow was decimated by Cyclone Gina in early June.

Australia, New Zealand and France took more than a week to send in planes to find out what had happened to the island.

Its fate was also clouded by the fact that the Solomons were mired in an ethnic conflict.

Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) director Loti Yates said the 3,000 residents of Tikopia, 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from Honiara, are now desperate for relief food.

"They have less food now than when Zoe hit the island," Yates said. "Everything had started to be re-grown after Tropical Cyclone Zoe, only to be flattened again by Tropical Cyclone Gina."

Now the people have only sago palm to roast, which is considered a last resort, in addition to fishing in the surrounding waters.

"They can't stockpile anything now," Yates said. "They eat everything we land on the island."

On Saturday, the Church of Melanesia hopes to send a boat to Tikopia, two and a half days sailing from Honiara, and Yates said the NDMO would load it with food supplies.

A food security assessment conducted in September concluded that Tikopia still requires assistance and the the NDMO has appealed to donors to provide emergency food supplies.

"This assessment further justifies the need for us to keep supporting these people with food until they are back on their feet," Yates said.

So far, however, the NDMO has no offers of help.

TERRA.WIRE