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AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN THE PACIFIC A CASE STUDY IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

From : FAO SAPA

Prepared by:
Muliagatele Joe Reti
FAO Consultant
February 2008

Executive Summary

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has identified the development of subsistence agriculture as a key strategy for the support of its rapidly growing population. The most important food crops are copra, breadfruit and pandanus. These crops used to be abundant during their seasons but harvests are reported to have been disrupted by climatic extremes such as typhoons and droughts in recent years. Prolonged periods of drought over the past twenty years caused changes to the water tables which in turn affected taro and breadfruit production during the period. This situation is expected to worsen with future climate change and has the potential to seriously affect the government’s strategy for the development of the subsistence agriculture sector.

The steady shift away from the use of traditional subsistence crops especially in the urban and more populated centers is also making efforts to revive the agriculture sector difficult. Increased preference and reliance on imported foods on the other hand is putting pressure on the national economy and have implications for nutrition and health. Given these situations, the local processing of traditional crops would appear to be a reasonable and viable goal for efforts to revive the agriculture sector.

Coconut is by far the only traditional crop that has potential for commercialization although breadfruit chips have recently been developed. However, decreasing world market prices has had an adverse impact on the copra industry to the extent that very little copra has been produced in recent years.

It is not clear whether increased temperatures will directly affect subsistence and commercial crops in the RMI. The scenarios of future temperature change for the middle of the next century indicate a rise of 1.6 – 2.9°C, implying a climate that is considerably different from that of the present. While changes in crop production and behavior are expected to occur as a result of temperature changes, what and how much of such change will occur remains unclear.

Unlike temperatures, there is strong evidence in the RMI that rainfall variations directly affect crop yield and production. For example, during the El Nino season of 1997-1998, significant reductions in most crop yields was reported. It is not known if El Nino events will increase in frequency and intensity in future or whether average rainfall will decrease. However, if they do, it is highly likely that agriculture production will be adversely affected and hence traditional food crops will be in short supply.

The scenario of higher rates of sea level rise and increased incidence of extreme events such as droughts and tropical cyclones could result in increased salinity of the soils and freshwater lens, thus impairing food production. This impact could have severe effects on pit taro which is an important subsistence crop for much of the RMI.

Importantly, the increasing population particularly in the urban centers is putting a lot of pressure on land available for agriculture and human activities are having devastating effects on the coastal and marine environments of the islands.

Immediate actions are required to minimize the adverse effects of climate change and sea level rise on an already vulnerable atoll environment in the RMI.
The government of the RMI is to be commended for the actions it has already taken and
those that are planned to adapt to climate change. It is noted however that this will be a long and difficult battle for the atoll nation and in this regard, the international community is duty-bound to assist the RMI with its efforts to adapt to climate change.



	A blog maintained by Tevita Kete, PGR Officer Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji Islands
This weblog documents the activities of Pacific Agricultural Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN), along with other information on plant genetic resources (PGR) in the Pacific. The myriad varieties found within cultivated plants are fundamental to the present and future productivity of agriculture. PAPGREN, which is coordinated by the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), helps Pacific countries and territories to conserve their crop genetic diversity sustainably, with technical assistance from the Bioversity International (BI) and support from NZAID and ACIAR. SPC also hosts the Centre of Pacific Crops and Trees (CEPaCT). The CEPaCT maintains regional in vitro collections of crops important to the Pacific and carries out research on tissue culture technology. The CEPaCT Adviser is Dr Mary Taylor (MaryT@spc.int), the CEPaCT Curator is Ms Valerie Tuia (ValerieT@spc.int). PAPGREN coordination and support IPGRI ACIAR NZAID CTA SPC PAPGREN CEPaCT Click on the thumbnail to see a map of the locations of Pacific genebanks. Click here to download a regional directory of genebanks in the Pacific, including information on their location, contact details and holdings. PAPGREN partners Mr William Wigmore Director of Research Ministry of Agriculture Department of Resources & Development P.O. Box 96 Rarotonga Cook Islands Tel: (682) 28711-29720 Fax: (682) 21881 Email: cimoa@oyster.net.ck Mr Adelino S. Lorens Chief Agriculture Pohnpei Office of Economic Affairs P.O. Box 1028 Kolonia Pohnpei 96941 Federated States of Micronesia Tel: (691) 3202400 Fax: (691) 3202127 Email: pniagriculture@mail.fm Dr Lois Englberger Island Food Community of Pohnpei Research Advisor P.O. Box 2299 Kolonia Pohnpei 96941 Federated States of Micronesia Email: nutrition@mail.fm Mr Apisai Ucuboi Director of Research Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest Koronivia Research Station P.O. Box 77 Nausori Fiji Islands Tel: (679) 3477044 Fax: (679) 3477546-400262 Email: apisainu@yahoo.com Dr Maurice Wong Service du Developpement Rural B.P. 100 Papeete Tahiti 98713 French Polynesia Tel: (689) 42 81 44 Fax: (689) 42 08 31 Email: maurice.wong@rural.gov.pf Mr Tianeti Beenna Ioane Head, Research Section Division of Agriculture Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development P.O. Box 267 Tarawa Kiribati Tel: (686) 28096-28108-28080 Fax: (686) 28121 Email : agriculture@tskl.net.ki; Beenna_ti@yahoo.com Mr Frederick Muller Secretary Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 1727 Majuro 96960 Marshall Islands Tel: (692) 6253206 Fax: (692) 6257471 Email: rndsec@ntamar.net Mr Herman Francisco Director Bureau of Agriculture Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 460 Koror 96940 Palau Tel: (680) 4881517 Fax: (680) 4881725 Email: bnrd@pnccwg.palaunet.com Ms Rosa Kambuou Principal Scientist PGR NARI Dry Lowlands Programme Laloki Agricultural Research Station P.O. Box 1828 Boroko National Capital District Papua New Guinea Tel: (675) 3235511 Fax: (675) 3234733 Email: kambuou@global.net.pg Ms Laisene Samuelu Principal Crop Development Officer Crops Division Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries & Meteorology P.O. Box 1874 Apia Samoa Tel: (685) 23416-20605 Fax: (685) 20607-23996 Email: lsamuelu@lesamoa.net Mr Jimi Saelea Director of Research Department of Agriculture and Livestock P.O. Box G13 Honiara Guadalcanal Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 27987 Mr Tony Jansen Planting Materials Network Kastom Gaden Association Burns Creek, Honiara P.O. Box 742 Honiara Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 39551 Email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb Mr Finao Pole Head of Research Ministry of Agriculture & Forests P.O. Box 14 Nuku'alofa Tonga Tel: (676) 23038 Fax: (676) 24271 Email: thaangana@hotmail.com Mr Frazer Bule Lehi Head of Research Department of Agriculture & Rural Development Private Mail Bag 040 Port Vila Vanuatu Tel: (678) 22525 Fax: (678) 25265 Email: flehi@hotmail.com Other links Other CROP agencies Forum Secretariat University of the South Pacific SPREP Pacific biodiversity Biodiversity hotspots Breadfruit Institute Hawaiian native plants Intellectual property rights Nature Conservancy PBIF PestNet SIDS WWF South Pacific Program Other Pacific organizations Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific Micronesian Seminar Te Puna web directory Pacific news Cafe Pacific CocoNET Wireless Island Directory Pacific Islands News Pacific Islands Report Pacific Islands Travel Pacific Time South Pacific travel Time Pacific Interested in GIS? DIVA-GIS	Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Posted 2:27 PM by Tevita AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN THE PACIFIC A CASE STUDY IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS From : FAO SAPA Prepared by: Muliagatele Joe Reti FAO Consultant February 2008 Executive Summary The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has identified the development of subsistence agriculture as a key strategy for the support of its rapidly growing population. The most important food crops are copra, breadfruit and pandanus. These crops used to be abundant during their seasons but harvests are reported to have been disrupted by climatic extremes such as typhoons and droughts in recent years. Prolonged periods of drought over the past twenty years caused changes to the water tables which in turn affected taro and breadfruit production during the period. This situation is expected to worsen with future climate change and has the potential to seriously affect the government’s strategy for the development of the subsistence agriculture sector. The steady shift away from the use of traditional subsistence crops especially in the urban and more populated centers is also making efforts to revive the agriculture sector difficult. Increased preference and reliance on imported foods on the other hand is putting pressure on the national economy and have implications for nutrition and health. Given these situations, the local processing of traditional crops would appear to be a reasonable and viable goal for efforts to revive the agriculture sector. Coconut is by far the only traditional crop that has potential for commercialization although breadfruit chips have recently been developed. However, decreasing world market prices has had an adverse impact on the copra industry to the extent that very little copra has been produced in recent years. It is not clear whether increased temperatures will directly affect subsistence and commercial crops in the RMI. The scenarios of future temperature change for the middle of the next century indicate a rise of 1.6 – 2.9°C, implying a climate that is considerably different from that of the present. While changes in crop production and behavior are expected to occur as a result of temperature changes, what and how much of such change will occur remains unclear. Unlike temperatures, there is strong evidence in the RMI that rainfall variations directly affect crop yield and production. For example, during the El Nino season of 1997-1998, significant reductions in most crop yields was reported. It is not known if El Nino events will increase in frequency and intensity in future or whether average rainfall will decrease. However, if they do, it is highly likely that agriculture production will be adversely affected and hence traditional food crops will be in short supply. The scenario of higher rates of sea level rise and increased incidence of extreme events such as droughts and tropical cyclones could result in increased salinity of the soils and freshwater lens, thus impairing food production. This impact could have severe effects on pit taro which is an important subsistence crop for much of the RMI. Importantly, the increasing population particularly in the urban centers is putting a lot of pressure on land available for agriculture and human activities are having devastating effects on the coastal and marine environments of the islands. Immediate actions are required to minimize the adverse effects of climate change and sea level rise on an already vulnerable atoll environment in the RMI. The government of the RMI is to be commended for the actions it has already taken and those that are planned to adapt to climate change. It is noted however that this will be a long and difficult battle for the atoll nation and in this regard, the international community is duty-bound to assist the RMI with its efforts to adapt to climate change. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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