National Youth Symposium on Climate Change

Youths in Vanuatu getting ready for action against Climate Change

National Youth Climate Change symposium is jointly organized by the Government of Vanuatu through the National Advisory Board (NAB) in partnership with many other civil societies and international organizations including Save the Children, National Youth Council, 350 Vanuatu, Care International, Wan Smol Bag theater (WSB), VCAN, Oxfarm and SPC-GIZ Climate Change Adaptation Program.

Vanuatu is a small island developing nation vulnerable to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Sea level rise, more regular extremes in weather patterns causing drought and heavier rainfalls as well as the likelihood of higher intensity of cyclones all present challenges that will require people to prepare for uncertainty and be able to adapt.

Children and young people have the potential to make a very real contribution to climate change responses and disaster risk reduction.

The picture on the right shows youth participated during the Climate Change Symposium on a post with their planting materials "Vertiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides)" for their gardening to prevent soil erosion and coastal erosion when they get back to their communities.

Highlight Activities 
1. Debate
On the first Day of the conference seen the youths being on a panelist to discuss on the topic "Traditional knowledge is Compatible with Scientific knowledge of Weather and Climate" which let youths on a basis of modern and traditional competition to give possible and straight weather and climate indicator's in their communities.

"Go For" Challenger sharing his experience on a traditional perspective
 in his community of Torres Island 

The youth participants were given a chance to speak of their experience on accessing the information's on whether traditional indicators or through radio and other western technology and how accurate is the information's being used the people of Vanuatu.
In fact both sides mention positive comments and share experiences on the information's access for their daily activities within their communities to do gardening, fishing and livestock.

In the end, comments were made clear as youths sharing their experience on the effects of climate change in their specific area and communities, thus panelist who also are specialist made no charges and come up with final key options for youths to make decision's so agreements was to combine both traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge as changes of the climate is seen realistic and shift calendars from normal existent.
                                                                                                         

Vanuatu Rainfal Network (VRN)

 Workshop to upgrade skills and knowledge of Rainfall collectors on Climate, Climate Change and Disaster  Risk Reduction (DRR)issues in Vanuatu

Agriculture College, Luganville, Santo

The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD) and the National Advisory Board on Climate Change & Disaster Risk Reduction (NAB), has host a 5 day workshop for over 80 Rainfall collectors on the island of Santo from 14 -18 October 2013. The workshop focuses on developing the capacity of rainfall collectors across Vanuatu to collect additional climate change information, strengthen institutional knowledge on climate issues and build data quality control mechanisms for policy development and learn adaptation measures to Agriculture. 

The objective of the workshop is to provide knowledge on climate, climate change and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) issues in Vanuatu. This has also provide an opportunity for rainfall collectors to directly engage with meteorologist, climatologist and other experts in the field of weather, climate and agriculture to share ideas and hands on practice on how to collect important weather variables and adaptation activities.It is also important at this workshop that will also support Vanuatu government capacity for dialogue between scientist and rainfall collectors and provides a platform to enhance national awareness on Climate Change vulnerability and adaptation opportunities.

In 2008, VMGD (Vanuatu Meteorology & Geo-Hazard Department) first established the Vanuatu Rainfall Network (VRN) where currently there are over 80 rainfall  sites established throughout Vanuatu. The rationale behind this activity is to collect rainfall data for these sites for the next 25-30 years and use in the SCOPIC model to run rainfall outlook for specific sites throughout Vanuatu. Currently there is a gap in the geographical spread of the synoptic stations so current seasonal rainfall forecast do not really capture the real rainfall pattern in Vanuatu. Therefore this initiative is to collect rainfall data from all islands and especially from ENSO hotspots to provide early warning to these areas so early response can be taken to minimize impacts of ENSO events.

Youth @ training

As Vanuatu continues to provide seasonal forecast to its inhabitants, it is important that data use in climate models are of quality. Moreover, it is important to collect more than just rainfall data from particular areas especially those that do not require addition meteorological instrument. These data will further provide advantage in carrying research in all corners of Vanuatu.

The main aim of the workshop is to

•          Establishment of a CC and DRR information collection network building on the existing Rainfall Monitoring network,

•          Establishment of channels to disseminate information on CC and DRR to grassroots communities and

•          Increased understanding of members of grassroots communities of how to observe impacts of CC and DRR.

2013 Vanuatu Rainfall Network workshop objectives

Farming Technique & Plot Layout

• Train: Officers to collect and receive quality climate data and Traditional knowledge information
• Train: Officers to better understand the concepts of climate variability/ENSO, climate change and agro-meteorology
• Practice: Proper methods of installing rain gauge, observing and collecting rainfall and other meteorological variables 
• Observe: Some best agricultural adaptation practices
• Utilise: VMGD products for their benefits

2013 Expected Outcomes

The outputs from the workshop will be

Output 1: Vanuatu ENSO timeline with narrative stories and memories

Output 2: FinaliZe Vanuatu Climate Update (VCU) format

Banana Multiplication Technique-Isso N

Output 3: Set up the ENSO text using SMS

Output 4: Finalize and trial TK questionnaire and validation forms

Output 5: Upgrade observation skills and knowledge of rainfall collectors on VMGD issues

Output 6: Finalize Provincial Calenda

Output 7: Concept paper on accessing funding under the Global Climate Services Framework to support further  VRN workshop

Traditional Farming Techniques in Vanuatu

Teouma Bush

Vanuatu land is an island nation with a relatively small land area and population. Only one third of the total cultivable land is presently farmed. Transport services, both inter-island and intra-island are a major constraint to marketing and this to increasing productivity and the volume of production. The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector accounts for around 15% of total GDP and for almost all merchandise exports.
Vanuatu is still agriculture-based economy with copra, cocoa, kava and cattle continuing to dominate the sector. Since 2003, the agriculture sector has grown at an annual rate of 3.3 percent compared to 2.8 percent growth for the economy and an average population growth rate of 2.6 percent per annum.
The domestic market for agricultural products is quite limited. While at least 80 percent of the population reside in the rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood, productivity, particularly in the traditional crops sector, is quite low. The export of high value specialty commodities, particularly those that are organically grown, represents great potential. In order to increase the penetration of premium niche markets by these commodities, however, the volume of production must be increased. The challenge in agriculture is to increase production and productivity and improve marketing systems and market access for both traditional food crops and high value specialty commodities.

Vanuatu posses soils and climate that are conducive to timber production and environment in the world for raising beef cattle. The challenges for this sector will include ensuring replanting of trees at a rate at least equal to the volume being harvested; to foster the utilization of additional species; and to develop additional value-added processing. Developing a sustainable forestry sector will depend on attracting investors for developing larger commercial timber plantations.

Vanuatu Youths to Take On Organic Agriculture
Organic agriculture is a farming system that relies on working closely with the ecosystem without reliance on chemicals to increase yields or manage weeds and pests.  Organic agriculture is also one of the areas attracting young farmers in the pacific islands and worldwide. Against the backdrop of an aging farming population in the Pacific, organic agriculture has been identified as a means to get more young Pacific Islanders involved in farming.

The Community of Teouma, Teouma Futuna (Iarofa Cultural Village) have constructively used organic potential to implement an agricultural site to practice traditional farming with a solid Youth-led activities running on every Saturday to enhance youth knowledge in Agriculture.  This existing

Traditional Food Preservation Practices

youth organization was called the "Iasoa Faakaufou Association" in which most youths are citizens from Iasoa Village on The island of Futuna. The organization has strong  Christian relations and believes in Christianity with  a large support from their elders in the village.

Iasoa Faakaufou Association was born since the year 2000 in an alert cooperation among youth citizens from Iasoa community living in Port Vila to raise funds to support the Island Community with food and materials after cyclone GENE pass the Island. In the meantime, a solidarity of committed youths started to developed and capacity building pulling all young citizens from Iasoa who lives in Port Vila to form a committee and to show support to the generations of Iasoa people back in Islands.

In the Meantime, compare to other community in Futuna do not have the opportunity in holding together their youths as this community. The Youths practices a lot of generated activities within years that passes and later the year 2013 has deflects their reactions to implement agricultural practices using an agricultural organic from small subsistence farming for climate change adaptation and to generate income from a small land space.

Activities
In particular, the youth have undertake a lot of activity in a land area of 8 acres square meters bought by the Community of Iasoa in the South East of Efate island called "Teouma" Area. On January 2013, youths of Iasoa started this new program of agriculture which they firstly clear land for gardening but still using traditional farming techniques. This has brought them to realize very low yield of their products from cultivation and decided to change cultivation methodologies from a shifting culture to adapt to the changes.

Inter-cropping (Mix Cropping)
This technique have been practice from our ancestors since agriculture has begin from the existence of new crop varieties that has been introduce by explorers to our Islands. However, more than half of the population of Vanuatu still maintains this cultural practices and

Alley Cropping
This is a technique to allow root crops to have good


TO BE CONTINUE>>>>>

Climate Change and Agriculture in Vanuatu

Teouma Bush Pilote Site, East Efate, Vanuatu

One of the most urgent and serious issues facing Vanuatu is the negative impact of Climate Change. The population living in rural areas depends heavily on Agriculture and most people found in Vanuatu lives in the rural settlements with food production a key livelihood activity.

Since our program’s inception in Vanuatu, we have tried to expand the participation of young farmers in the agricultural sector, specifically through training's and workshops to build up knowledge and capacity.
As all Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are already experiencing the negative impacts of climate change, especially as these countries are of the most vulnerable to 
environmental hazards and often have insufficient adaptation resources. Sea‐level rise, changes in precipitation patterns and rising temperatures are causing secondary impacts of coastal erosion, salt water intrusion, cyclone damage, pest and disease outbreaks, water insecurity and declining agricultural production. 

According to the 2009 population census, 76% (176,816 people) of Vanuatu’s population are based in rural areas and practice

Vanuatu, Teouma Futuna Pilote Site

traditional agriculture to provide for their dietary needs and income. Traditionally, root crops (yam, taro, manioc (Kasava), sweet potato and plantains) are a fundamental part of Ni-Vanuatu diets and have been for the past 2,000 years. These foods are generally used because of their ability to withstand weather extremes, pests and other destructive situations, but there are still challenges being faced today.  Increased consumption of imported foods and population growth have resulted in a decrease in the 
cultivation of these crops and therefore, some methods of production that were used in the past to deal with climate extremes have been lost. As climate and weather 
patterns change, the food security of Vanuatu is increasingly vulnerable. 

The Asian Development Bank reports that “With projected temperature increases, heat tolerance thresholds to crops are being reached which induces heat stress, wilting and crop failure. Subsistence crop production is falling as a result and in turn threatens food security.” Changes to rainfall in Vanuatu are impacting agricultural production, in addition to future projections of;

• decreasing overall precipitation
• extreme rainfalls during storm events
• increase evaporation and
• more pronounced dry season

The people and community of Teouma are leading the way 

in the use of innovative agricultural practices for adapation. 

One farming system for adaptation is alley

Alley Cropping Trial Technique

cropping. 

Gliricidia trees are intercropped with dwarf beans followed 

by root crops in the second rotation. Trial plots are 

cultivated with different techniques for comparison e.g. 

with/without weeding, with/without mulching, soil nutrient 

improvement etc. to establish best practice conditions for 

growth, quantity, quality and climate tolerance. The trees 

provide protection from extreme wind events, reduce soil 

temperature and sun exposure, and also help to keep the 

roots moist. This is in addition to the normal benefits of 

using leguminous Gliricidia as a soil enriching plant.

One of the staple diets of Ni-Vanuatu people is island 

cabbage but this crop often fails first with heavy rain and 

drought events. 

+30 Varities of sweer potato

The community in Teouma is working to 

establish the most hardy and productive local varieties to 

withstand extreme rainfall, drought and heat by on-farm 

testing 30+ different types of island cabbage and 

monitoring their growth and productivity. 

Research by VARTC (Vanuatu Agricultural Research & 

Training Centre) on Santo has led to new varieties of yam 

and kumala that are now trialled in Teouma to identify 

climate change resilient varieties suitable for the local area. 

20+ different kumala species from different areas of 

Vanuatu have been planted to establish the most suitable 

one for local climatic conditions and extreme events. 

These changes influence agricultural planting, maintenance and harvesting methods, as well as the production capability of agricultural systems. Intense rainfall events during planting seasons damage seedlings, water-log soils, reduce growth and provide conditions that promote the development of plant pathogens, pests and diseases. The SPC-GIZ program is working with Vanuatu’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to test and trial specific adaptation methodologies in farming communities. 

On Efate, SPC-GIZ has initiated pilot activities in the Teouma Community. At the end of this project, farmers in the Teouma Pilot Site should have increased understanding of: 

•  climate change predictions and forecasts 
•  climate change impacts on agriculture 
•  weather patterns and their impact on agriculture (agrometeo training) 
• techniques to improve soil fertility 
•  techniques to improve agriculture production in times of heavy rain and drought 
•  methods to identify resilient crop varieties for continuous planting 
•  techniques to minimize wind damage to crops 
• techniques to rapidly propagate and multiply resistant varieties 
• agriculture business management (farming as a business training module) 

The program is currently focusing on the identification of varieties of kumala, cabbage and yam that respond well to local climate change impacts, as well as alley cropping farming practices for climate resilience