Executive Summary
Contact Jesse Benjamin (jbenjamin@vanuatu.gov.vu) for more information
The Vanuatu Meteorological and Geo-hazards Department (VMGD) and the National Advisory Board on Climate Change & Disaster Risk Reduction (NAB), will host a 5 day Agro-meteorology Summit AND Climate Field School for over 100 government extension officers for the land based sectors (Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock and Environment) on Tanna Island in May 2013. The summit will focus on practical adaptation strategies to climate and climate change in Vanuatu particularly on the agricultural practices in Vanuatu.
The objective of the conference and field school is to provide technical know-how on agriculture sector adaptation in Vanuatu and giving a practical context to the implementation of the GFCS. The summit will provide platform wherein extension officers from the land based sectors (Agriculture, Forestry and Environment) and key farmers will directly engage with the Agro-meteorology experts to share ideas dialogue on important agrometeorology indicators
Equally important, this conference will support Vanuatu in meeting its international climate and climate change obligations, specifically those under the World Meteorological Organization[1]. Participants will better understand climate variability and learn how to implement tailored solutions for local contexts. Seasonal forecasting tools will be disseminated to help sector specialists in their preparation for future challenges posed by climate change and extremes.
Background
In 2011, Vanuatu held its first AgroMeteorology Summit, where over 50 participants gathered to discuss the issues of climate change and their impacts on the productive sector in Vanuatu. In 2012, the scope of the annual AgroMet Summit was expanded to include discussions on detailed adaptation strategies for the identified impacts in specific sectors. Outputs from the summit included;
i. a comprehensive report on these adaptation strategies,
ii. an ENSO Early Warning System Directive
iii. a Bislama-language DVD on Food Security and Climate Change,
iv. Fact-Sheets on Livestock and Climate Change,
v. Guidelines on Coastal Rehabilitation ,
vi. VMGD communication strategy to disseminate information to the last mile
vii. draft Cropping Calendars for each province
viii. framework for establishing provincial agricultural nurseries
As the nation continues to mature in its response to and preparation for climate change, stakeholders have called for more hands-on and practical trainings on the adaptation strategies previously discussed. More than that stakeholders would like to see written and audiovisual materials developed that can be used in extension work by government and non-government agencies.
2013 Conference Objectives
The overall objectives of the conference are as follows:
- Train: Officers to better understand the concepts of climate variability/ENSO and agro-meteorology
- Identify: Opportunities to develop agro-meteorology products and services useful to Vanuatu stakeholders
- Review: Mechanisms to effectively deliver practical agro-meteorological and climate and climate change advisory products to all sections of society (commercial and traditional) and discuss ways to assist the users in various communities in their decision making
- Practice: Strategies for climate change adaptation options for different crops, trees and animals
- Update: Traditional Cropping calendars from each Province and integrate them with meteorological information
- Recall: Specific climate impacts events in Vanuatu’s recent history
- Prioritize: Dissemination and capacity building needs around specific adaptation technologies
2013 Expected Outputs
The outputs from the conference will form an important body of materials for future implementation of climate adaptation and readiness.
Output 1: Vanuatu ENSO timeline with narrative stories and memories
Output 2: Narrative and Stories of CC Impacts on the Agricultural Sector in Vanuatu
Output 3: Organizational action statements on using/accessing Agrometeorology information
Output 4: Organizational aspiration statements on expectations from national Agrometeorology Summits
Output 5: A list of specific ways and examples that climate services and early warnings can be useful to the agriculture sector (including suggestions on timing and presentation of products)
Output 6: Updated seasonal planting calendars to integrate met/climate information
Output 7: Notes and recommendations for dissemination of each adaptation strategy
Output 8: Bislama Language DVD on Agrometeorology for Climate Change Adaptation
Output 9: Guidance Document on National Climate and Climate Change Field Schools in Melanesia
2013 Proposed Participants
§ 10 x VMGD Climate Services
§ 5 x NAB PMU
§ 1 x VARTC
§ 1 x Chamber of Commerce
§ 17 x Agriculture
§ 11 x Forestry
§ 11 x Livestock
§ 2 x Department of Environment
§ 15 x NGO’s [pay own way]
§ 10 x Private sector [pay own way]
§ 5 x GIZ [pay own way]
§ 15 x Tanna Community
TOTAL ~100
[1] The World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3) with the establishment of a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) required Met Services to integrate climate information and products into decision-making in all socio-economic sectors, through an effective two-way dialogue between providers and users.