Suva, Fiji  – A major new report, Reviving Melanesia’s Ocean Economy: The Case for Action, launched today, has revealed that the ocean is a much larger part of Melanesia’s economy and future prosperity than previously understood.

Melanesia is a large sub-region in the Pacific that extends from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region includes Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

The lack of incentives for the effective participation of farmers in the fruits and vegetable sector leading to an increased reliance and dependency on imported forms of fruits and vegetable products in the domestic markets have been attributed to a number of factors of which inconsistency in supply and deficient quality in fruits and vegetable products are more prominent. These dual negative factors are the direct result of the lack of coordination and management of the sector.

As the #1 ranked country for vulnerability on the World Risk Index, the lives of men and women in Vanuatu are constantly threatened by climate change and disasters. Following the most devastating cyclone to ever hit Vanuatu – cyclone Pam in 2015 – and widespread drought as a result of a strong El Nino event throughout 2015 and most of 2016, the impacts are growing ever more severe with climate change predicted to increase the intensity and impacts of such events over time.

Vanuatu is the fourth biggest Forum Islands Country in terms of population (273,000 in 2016), the fifth biggest
country in terms of land mass, and the twelfth biggest country in terms of Exclusive Economic Zone. It is a
young country, with 66% of its population being less than 30 years old.
Most of Vanuatu’s population still engages in own-account production, mostly vegetables (97%), but also livestock
(86%), and fish (58%). Overall, the weight of the Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry sector (own-account

 The project profile for this Project: "SIDS Ecosystem Restoration Flagship: Vanuatu, Comores and Santa Lucia"

 The Project profile Form for KIWA FAO

As many readers will know, the south pacific sea level and climate ,monitaring project was initially develped in the early 1990's as a respond to concerns about the potiential impacts of global warming and sea levels in the pacific. The AUSAID funded project was established with a goal of providing accurate, long term record of sea levels in the south pacific both for partner countries and international scientific community which need such information to better understand how the pacific oceanographic and meteorogical environment is changing.

There are about 30 species of mangroves in Solomon Islands, representing 40% of the world's mangrove species. They can be found on most islands ans it is estimated that mangroves here cover an area of about 50 000 hectares.

Mangroves are important resources for livelihoodof rural coastal communities. However there ias not an endleess supply.

The Pacific Islands region is experiencing climate change. Key indicators of the changing
climate include rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, rising air and sea temperatures,
rising sea levels and upper-ocean heat content, changing ocean chemistry and increasing
ocean acidity, changing rainfall patterns, decreasing base flow in streams, changing
wind and wave patterns, changing extremes, and changing habitats and species distributions.
Currently, the most vulnerable areas include low islands (atoll islands and other

Pacific Islanders are at the forefront of climate change; experiencing its varying impacts on coastlines, biodiversity, economy and most importantly on livelihoods. The conservation of mangroves and associated ecosystems is a key natural adaptation strategy and mitigation measure to climate change. Mangrove ecosystems provide goods and services highly valued by the people of the Pacific. However, this unique ecosystem faces continuing threats from overharvesting, degradation and land reclamation.

Attribution

MESCAL

As part of the preparedness towards any forthcoming disasters and continuous monitoring of the agricultural sector, the RRU in collaboration with FAO and DARD have established an early warning early action system that is run by the Risk and Resilience Unit (RRU) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB) to the agricultural extension officers. The department of agriculture has a total of 45 extension officers that are based on all of the 6 provinces covering almost all the area councils of every island.

Established in 2000, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a global
leader in enabling civil society to participate in and influence the conservation of
some of the world’s most critical ecosystems. CEPF is a joint initiative of l’Agence
Française de Développement (AFD), Conservation International, the European
Union, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Government of Japan, the
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. CEPF is
unique among funding mechanisms in that it focuses on high-priority biological

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This report uses these generic methods to provide recommendations for climate resilient development in the PICs in the following sectors: coastal protection, flood management, water resources management, protection of infrastructure against changes in temperature and precipitations, protection of buildings against cyclone winds, and adaptation in the agriculture sector.

This report explores the opportunities that recognising blue carbon could bring to Vanuatu. Commissioned by the Government of Vanuatu from the Commonwealth Secretariat, it sets out the opportunities, supportive arguments, and issues and potential barriers around incorporating blue carbon as part of their overall climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy.

This report assesses adaptive capacity in the Tegua island community in northern Vanuatu and examines the role of the ‘Capacity Building for the Development of Adaptation Measures in Pacific Island Countries’ (CBDAMPIC) relocation project in shaping it.