Agriculture and Climate Change Adataptation Experiences in Vanuatu

Isso Nihmei,Vanuatu

My name is Isso Nihmei and I am from Vanuatu. I was born at the Lenakel Central Hospital, Tanna Island and was rise up with my grant Parents back in my home Island of Futuna in Vanuatu. I grew up with my grandparents in a social interdependent relationship of an extended family which subsistence Agriculture is our best practice and important for our demand.

I became interested in Agriculture when I was in High School and wanted to study Agriculture with knowing the insides of a Sustainable Agriculture management and be advance in the areas of climate Change related issues to Agriculture, I then had an opportunity to research and education building capacity as an Intern working with the SPC-GIZ on Climate Change Adaptation Program building my skills and knowledge within the organization on Climate Change issues in the sector of Agriculture partly in collaboration with local governments, especially the department of Agriculture and community bases in implementing, training and learning local strategies to developed adaptation measures and strategies related to climate change issues.

Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Island Region SPC-GIZ
 

SPC-GIZ Vanuatu Team

The SPC/GIZ “Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Island Region” (CCCPIR) program in Vanuatu is working to enable climate change adaptation among government and non government partners and communities. The program is implement under  GIZ (Deutche Gessellschaft Fur Internationaile Zusermainabeit (BMZ) working in close collaboration with SPC (Secretariat of the Pacific Island Community) and SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional environmental Program) to  strengthen the pacific member countries and regional organization to cope with the impacts of climate change. The program is funded by the German government of the federal Republic of Germany through the federal ministry for Economic Co operation and development (BMZ).

Activity

Youth Participant, Teuoma Pilote Site

Key activities were implemented from the government level to community bases and other local and non-government agencies. This is to build up capacities and strengthen government stakeholders in coordinating climate change issues seriously in terms of Policy development and technical expertise in adaptation in pilote sites to address core negative impacts of Climate Change through Crop productivity.

I have been providing most of these Services during my internship, especially through development of simple and locally appropriate Adaptation methodologies/strategies suitable for all stakeholders and communities.

Youth Participation

Stakeholders Participation, Pele Pilote Site

This includes training, workshops and many other field school activities to strengthen famer’s participation and adaptability to the effects of Climate Change. In our experiences with young famers, we find that many are not interested in farming or Agriculture.  As a solution, we then use other mechanisms and tools to capture their interests, and grow their understanding of Agriculture and the adaptation measures to it.

Information technology is rapidly spread throughout the country so our programmed uses facebook to reach youth in urban and peri-urban areas.  Each day we post news, opportunities and trainings for young people in the climate change sectors, and very commonly on Agriculture.  These facebook opportunities and communications are focused on all stakeholders including drop- out school leavers and members of target youth groups.

Group Discussion, Pele Pilote Site

Our program also maintains relationships with existing Youth organization such as the “Wan Smol Bag” theatre,“Youth Challenge Vanuatu”YCV  and the “National Youth Council” in order to mainstream core competencies of Adaptation in Agriculture and other sustainable measures in their agendas and focus.

Capturing Young Famers interests in agriculture is quite difficult and thus, these exciting activities and opportunities implemented through climate change adaptation are becoming more and more important in reaching out to Ni-Vanuatu youth. Many have taken advantage recently of the opportunities we have provided to and for them.  The young people of Vanuatu are clearly expanding their participation in and display of new adaptation technology, farming systems and resilient crop improvements.

Increasing the participation of young famers in Agriculture and Climate Change Adaptation Training Workshops has become more and more important to vulnerable communities and thus the establishment of local famers’ associations has been a key focus at the provincial and community levels.

In the Last few months (August 23-27 2013) in Vanuatu, with SPC-GIZ support, famer’s from the northern provinces of Vanuatu had a week-long hands-on training and opportunity to share of experience regarding farming systems and adaptation methodologies.  These field school gatherings give famers the chance to learn from each other’s knowledge and ideas as well as receive technical support information from Agriculture and CCA (Climate Change Adaptation)experts.

Youth Participant and more interest in Agriculture

Apart from the Agriculture department, the SPC-GIZ program also been working together with other stakeholders involved in community based projects addressing agriculture issues and climate change.  With these stakeholders, SPC-GIZ has focused on sharing key messages and information through monthly update meetings.  These coordination and update programs are organized by the Vanuatu Department of Agriculture in a networking focus group called the “Food Security & Agriculture Cluster”.  Meetings typically last for a few hours, giving each project and partner a chance to update on project activities. This interactive communication is very important to refine each key stakeholder’s priorities in the field of adaptations, and also helping all to find opportunities for collaboration.