Regional Orientation Workshop

Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems [GIAHS] For Asia and the Pacific

Bangkok, 12-13 November 2013

Presentation brief by Mr. Varea Panapasa

Senior Official of the Ministry of Agriculture

Republic of Fiji

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Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC] to combat the real dangers to Fijis Food Security for low lying foreshore coastal regions and the urgency for sensible Agricultural Practices

Geographical and Historical perspective The Fiji Islands comprise 322 small islands in the South Pacific, with pristine beaches, coral gardens, and rain forests. • About 100 are inhabited, while the balance remain nature preserves. • Most people live on the 2 largest island, Viti Levu where the capital city Suva is located and Vanua Levu.. • After 96 years as a British colony, Fiji gained independence in 1970. • During British rule, indentured servants from India came to work in the sugarcane fields— • Indo-Fijians currently constitute 40 percent of the population. Indo- Fijians are mostly Hindu, while the majority native Fijians are mostly Christian

Fiji’s Strategic Location

ECONOMY

• Industry: Tourism, sugar, clothing, copra etc

• Agriculture: Sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle; fish etc

• Exports: Sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish etc

The Challenges posed by Global Warming and the Rise in Sea Water Levels. For the small countries in the Pacific region the effects of sea water level rise and the realization that in 20 to 50years time many foreshore communities and island nations will face mass displacement and relocation is a problem that requires global and international partnership and cooperation.

Agricultural Heritage Systems • PACC and its partners continued its engagement in conducting Climate Change

Adaptation awareness in schools and PLA in communities for 2013.

• The main purpose of this training and awareness is to gain participation of the pilot communities in low lying coastal areas to be more engaged in Climate Change Adaptation activities that is applicable to their situation.

• Schools were targeted to be informed and also participate in projects that are related to Food Security and Agriculture Practices that are environmentally friendly.

• Communities to be better informed on CCA strategies that would support their food security issues by coming up with their Action Plan.

Flat land and Steep land farming

ACTION PLAN AND STRATAGIES for Coastal REGIONS

• With the assistance of the UN FUNDED project through SPREP a Pacific based regional organization

• Two sites of Nakelo and Deuba Districts (PACC Pilot sites) located at the low-lying regions of the mainland of Viti Levu and South Eastern part of Fiji comprised of a total of 3 Secondary and 7 Primary Schools, together with a total of 18 villages/communities are targeted for this training.

PILOT SITES A. Land Use Classification [LUC]

Approximately 80 % of the viable coastal agricultural land in this district is now facing land degradation due to the rise in sea water levels

B.SOIL DESCRIPTION

Examinations of the soil profile indicate no dry seasons for most of the district area.

2013 Activities

MODE OF TRAINING

Mode of Training: Presentation using PP, Posters and Charts and Lecture with question and answers after. PACC, KRS and LRPD officers took turn in conducting two sessions for the whole school. The first session was conducted for junior forms (3 and 4s) and the second for the senior ones (forms 5, 6 and 7’s). The village Plan was made after the presentation and question session with contribution from men and women Gifts (recycle shopping bags) were also given to students that came up with correct answers. Posters, booklets, pamphlets and documentary video were provided to the schools for their library collection.

Mode of Training: Two 40 minutes presentations were conducted separately for junior

and senior classes in a hall that was provided for by the school. Presentation using PP and DVD’s and using Charts/Posters with questions and answers at the end. Gifts (recycle shopping bags) were also given to students that came up with correct answers. PACC officers facilitated in the awareness program. Pamphlets, DVDs’, books and Posters were distributed to the school for their resource centre.

Facilitators: PACC Officers (2), Land Resources & Planning Development officers (1) and Agriculture Research Station (1) Participants: 753 students and 35 teachers

Result from Awareness and Training

• Vashist Muni College requested for more awareness as a follow-up

to this first one, and also would be seeking assistance in their agriculture projects for the students later in the year;

• Naimalavau village had produced their CCA Action Plan which they will be pursuing with support from PACC in preparation for their project paper on assistance to their seawall project;

• Nakelo District School are proposing to make some vegetable gardens with land that is available and had requested seedlings;

• Visama Sanatan Dharam Primary School is seeking support to have their school gardens be farmed with crops that are resilient to CC and more awareness visit/lecture that will help the senior classes;

IDENTIFICATION OF SITES FOR GIAHS CERTIFICATION

The challenge for Pacific Island communities is to identify sites which meet the qualification criteria for GIAHS certification. There are inherited store of indigenous knowledge and management systems and socio cultural ecological FARMING SYSTEMS AND PRACTISES which have evolved through time and is evident today .However this will need proper assessment and classification to ensure GIAHS recognition. Many existing programs and government initiatives have in cooperated.

IDENTIFICATION OF SITES FOR GIAHS CERTIFICATION

• Integrated Sustainable Land Management Systems and practices

• Organic farming systems with pilot projects established in small island communities

• Land and Water Resource management systems

• Global Environment Facility related programs [GEF 4&5]

• Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC]

• Governments Strategic Framework policy for Change

• ETC.

JUSTIFICATION FOR GLOBAL LY IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE SYSTEMS [GIAHS]

• The necessity to incorporate the GIAHS principles is to allow small economies in the Pacific regions self sufficiency in food security.

• The acknowledgment that indigenous or native system of inherited farming practices has merit to ensure the sustainability of its survival.

• For some in the Pacific Region the heritage strategies may have come too late