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

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.

Grafting hemi  name we ol farmer oli usum blo 
maretemem  ol  trees.  Yu  save  mekem  grafting 
sapos  trees  oli  kam  out  lo  same  family  group 
trees.  Exampol,  yu  save  graftem  ol  aranis, 
pamplemus, mo lemon.  Climate change I mekem 
se  plante  hud  blong  yumi  oli  stap  kasem  ol 

Climate jenj I stap afektem Vanuatu bigwan 
naoia.  Ol jenj long ren mo tempaja I save 
spoilem agrikalja.  Climate change tu I stap 
bringim  ol  strongfala  win  olsem  tropical 
cyclone we I stap daonem plante crops blong 
yumi.
 

Tri o wud hemi wan veri impoten risos
long yumi. Long ol tri, yumi save mekem
fulap samting long hem we yumi usum
long laef blong yumi everi dei. Plenti
man i depend long ol forest, bus mo ol tri.
Bus o fores i givim faea wud, frut,
meresin, pos blong fanis mo haos,
furniture, wud blong carving, handle
blong ol tul, mo planti moa samting. Tri o
wud tu hemi help blong reducem carbon
dioxide long air we I stap raon long wol.
Ol tri oli save holem taet graon tu long
taem blong flooding mo narafala kaen
climate change.
 

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

Powerpoint presentations to promote awareness of impacts of climate change and practical adaptations.

The assessment of available remote sensing data indicates, that there is almost no potential for
activities reducing deforestation within the CCA/REDD site. Reducing forest degradation by
eliminating invasive weeds might show some potential for emission reductions and removals, but
requires further research to assess the management options and their carbon dynamics.
 

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

Vanuatu Marine Ecosystem Service Valuation SUMMARY & Final report

This study,conducted in 2015, aimed to determine the economic value of seven marine and coastal ecosystem services in Vanuatu. The study forms part of the broader MACBIO project (Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Management in Pacific Island Countries and Atolls) that aims to strengthen the management of marine and coastal biodiversity in Pacific island countries.

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.

The first of the overall MESCAL project’s four outcomes is to produce national baseline information about climate change scenarios, use and values of mangroves and associated ecosystem.

This review aims to identify recent climate change projections (particularly sea level) and assess their likely impacts on mangroves and associated ecosystems and community livelihoods for the five MESCAL pilot countries.

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.