El Nino Impact Report on Food Security and Agriculture Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB) November 2015 Prepared by the Risk and Resilience Unit (RRU) team at MALFFB in coordination with expert assessors from DARD, Livestock, Fisheries, Forestry and Biosecurity INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND An assessment of the impact of El Nino on food security and agriculture was conducted from the 19th to the 30th of October 2015. Twenty two (22) assessment teams were dispatched from Port Vila and provincial centers to the 33 Islands of the 6 provinces. Typically each group comprised an officer from MALFFB, and a WASH officer. Up to 4 people conducted the assessment in the much larger islands. Groups conducted 30 to 50 interviews on each of the 33 main islands visited and completed all questionnaires using Kobo toolbox apps on smart phones. ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES The main objective of the survey is to assess the impact of El Nino on food security and agriculture in the six provinces of the country. The specific objectives of the assessment are to; 1. Collect data on the impact of El Nino at community level; 2. Understand how the impact of El Nino is changing over time. 3. Better understand ongoing community food security needs 4. Recommend possible intervention measures to address food needs METHODOLOGY PLANNING Resources used in the assessment included field technical and extension officers, RRU officers of the MALFFB, WASH officers, areas secretaries, lead farmers and Community Disaster Committees (CDC). Material used included smart phones (kobo-tool box app), life jacket, camera, laptops, pens and pencils, boat and vehicles. Questionnaire was developed by using the questions of the first assessment done in June 2015 as a backbone and some additional questions to suit the current situation affecting the nation. Training was conducted in Port Vila and on Santo to help familiarize the assessment teams on how to use Kobo toolbox application on a mobile phone. Figure 1; WASH officer Interviewed farmer at Port-Patrick, Aneityum PAGE 1 AREA OF COVERAGE The assessment covered a total of 470 people. Of this 75 people were interviewed in Torba, 53 in Sanma, 72 in Penama, 65 in Malampa, 129 in Shefa and 76 in Tafea. Of the 83 islands, 33 main islands were visited and assessed. The assessment was conducted by 39 MALFFB and WASH field officers. Figure 2; the map illustrate GPS coordinates where the assessment takes place. SUMMARY OF KEY RECOMMENDATIONS SHORT TERM: 1. Soil moisture improvement measures such as mulching and intercropping with forest trees in Tanna, Efate, North Pentecost, Maewo, Vanualava, Mota, Motalava, Toress, Ureparapara, Ambae, Malekula, Ambrym, Tongoa, Tongariki, Buninga, Emae, Mataso, Emao, Nguna, Moso, Pele, Lelepa, Futuna, Aniwa and Anietyum. 2. Apply appropriate pest & disease control measures for the control of rats and insect pests on leafy vegetables. 3. Reduce stocking rate for cattle and pigs by disposing off in the islands or in urban markets (Santo, Ambae, Malekula, Epi, Ambrym, Efate, Pentecost and Tanna) 4. Control of bush fire to prevent depletion of pasture land and crops in Santo, Ambae, Malekula, Epi, Ambrym, Efate, Pentecost and Tanna PAGE 2 5. Improve access to fishing gears to Malekula, Epi, Futuna, Aniwa, Anietyum, Torres, Merelava, Gaua, Ureparapa, Ambae, Paama, Ambrym, Aneityum and the Shepherds islands. 6. Extension of licensing of forest trees such as sandal wood. 7. Distribution of leguminous crops to the smaller islands of Shepherds, Tafea and Torba. 8. Introduce drip irrigation systems (bucket) on small islands to promote vegetable production. MEDIUM TERM AND LONG TERM 1. Relocation of gardens to/near water sources in Mota, Vanualava, Malekula, Maewo, Erromango, Aneityum, South Pentecost and Efate. 2. Support ongoing efforts to access good quality planting materials and vegetable seeds. 3. Introduced soil moisture conservation techniques such as composting and used of cover crops such as mucuna and cowpea. 4. Mass multiply and distribution of climatic resilient crops such as wild yam to all provinces. 5. Desalination of seawater for smaller islands of shepherds group, Torba, Efate outer islands and Tafea outer islands. 6. Setup pore holes in high agricultural production areas in Malekula, Epi, Ambrym, Ambae, Pentecost, Motalava, Gaua, Malo, Shepherds islands and Tafea outer islands 7. Strengthen community subsistence fishing with materials and appropriate training FAD in Malekula, Epi, Futuna, Aniwa, Torres, Merelava, Gaua, Ureparapa, Ambae, Paama, Ambrym, Aneityum and Shepherds. OVERVIEW OF PROBLEMS AFFECTING GARDENS TORBA Soil fertility and low level of agricultural production are issues in the TORBA province. Up to 27% of respondents saw soil fertility as a worse problem than people not planting enough crops, livestock damaging crops, and pests & disease attacking crops to be of lesser problem. This results in people not planting enough crops. Long dry weather, as indicated by 50% of respondents, affects the already low production of crops. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS PAGE 3 1. Soil moisture improvement measures such as mulching and intercropping with forest trees in Vanualava, Motalava, Mota, Ureparapara, Merelava, Gaua and Toress islands. 2. Introduce drip irrigation systems (bucket) in Vanualava, Motalava, Mota, Gaua, Merelava, Ureparapara and Toress group to promote vegetable production. 3. Support ongoing efforts to access good quality planting materials and vegetable seeds for Vanualava, Motalava, Ureparapara, Gaua, Mota, Merelava and Toress islands. SANMA Livestock damage to crops account for up to 60% of big problem faced as reported by respondents. Dry weather causing crops to dry account for up to up 55% in SANMA. Low production of crops due to low productivity of farmers may lead to low food security. Soil fertility are minor problem, drying of crops interestingly is seen by 21 out of the 63 interviews to be not of a problem. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Relocation of gardens to/near water sources in Santo. 2. Introduce drip irrigation systems (bucket) in Santo, Malo and Aore 3. Introduced soil moisture conservation techniques such as composting and used of cover crops such as mucuna and cowpea in rural areas of Santo, Malo and Aore. 4. Distribution of local food aid into interior communities of Santo, Malo and Aore. PENAMA Livestock damaged and dry season are said to be worse issues in PENAMA than soil fertility, low level of production and pests & disease. Up to 42% of respondents say crops drying is considered a serious problem on PENAMA. Soil fertility, pests & disease and low production are considered a big problem. Increased temperature affect health, production and reproductive capacity of animals. The combine impact of livestock damage to crops coupled with dry season will affect available food supply. Children and mothers will be affected the most. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Reduce stocking rate for cattle and pigs by disposing off in the islands or in urban markets. 2. Relocation of gardens to/near water sources in Maewo and South Pentecost 3. Soil moisture improvement measures such as mulching and intercropping with forest trees on Ambae, Maewo and Pentecost 4. Introduce drip irrigation systems (bucket) on Maewo, Ambae and South Pentecost. 5. Distribution of local food aid into interior communities of Ambae, Maewo and Pentecost PAGE 4 MALAMPA Soil fertility, Livestock damaged, pest & disease and crop drying are a big problem. 30 to 60 % alluded to these as big problems. Specifically 60 % of respondents saw pest & diseases a big problem to crops. Not enough planting is said to be a small problem. Low production coupled with low soil fertility, livestock damaged to food crops, pest and disease and dry weather lead to insufficient food sources. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Apply appropriate pest & disease control measures for the control of rats and insect pests on leafy vegetables and root crops in Malekula, Ambrym and Paama. 2. Support ongoing efforts to access good quality planting materials and vegetable seeds for Malekula, Ambyrm and Paama. 3. Supply of local food aid from surplus producing islands such as Santo and Malekula to Paama and West Ambrym. 4. Reduce stocking rate for cattle and pigs by disposing off in the islands or in urban markets. 5. Conserved and managed consumption of wild yam stock on Ambrym and Paama. 6. Soil moisture improvement measures such as mulching, used of cover crop and intercropping with forest trees on Malekula, Ambrym and Paama. SHEFA Slow growth and low yields from food crops, pests & diseases attacking crops and livestock damaged to crops are said to be a worse problem in SHEFA province. 66 out of 129 respondents or 50% say crops are drying is a big problem and up to 40% say it’s the worse problem which leads to low productivity of farmers. The impact of these factors is not enough food in the Province that’s already worse hit by TC PAM and thus extremely low level of food security for the population. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Supply of local food aid from Santo and Malekula to the Sheperds islands. 2. Support ongoing efforts to access good quality planting materials and vegetable seeds for Emae, Pele, Nguna, Emao, Mataso, Makira, Tongariki, Buniga and Tongoa. 3. Desalination of seawater for Tongariki, Makira, Mataso, Buniga, Emae, Emao, Pele, Nguna and Tongoa. 4. Apply appropriate pest & disease control measures for the control of rats, pigeon and insect pests on leafy vegetables and root crops. 5. Reduce stocking rate for cattle and pigs by disposing off in the islands or in urban markets on Efate (Marobe Market). PAGE 5 6. Supply of animal feeds such as copra meal and bone meal to Efate outer islands and Sheperds islands. TAFEA Slow growth and low yields from food crops (crops drying) and livestock damaging crops and pest & diseases attacking crops are said to be of a worse problem in TAFEA province. Up to 50 % considered crops drying as a worse problem.