Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE IN VANUATU: A study of crops and farming system Prepared by FAO consultant Hoffman Sandy Mael Port Vila, Vanuatu September 2013 Disclaimer The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. 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TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................... i LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF PLATES .................................................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... ix ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Climate Change ............................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Climate, climate change and natural disasters in Vanuatu ............................................................ 4 1.3.1 Current climate and natural disasters ..................................................................................... 4 1.3.2 Projected Future Climate and natural disasters ...................................................................... 5 1.3 Natural disasters ............................................................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Map of Vanuatu showing selected project communities .............................................................. 8 CHAPTER 3: CROPS AND THEIR VARIETIES OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE VANUATU SOCIETY .............................................................................................................................................. 10 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 10 3.2 Root crops ................................................................................................................................... 10 3.2.1 Manihot Esculenta (Manioc) ............................................................................................... 10 3.2.2 Impomea botatas (Kumala) .................................................................................................. 16 3.1.3 Aroids ................................................................................................................................... 22 3.1.4 Dioscoreas species (yam) ..................................................................................................... 28 3.2 Selected legumes ......................................................................................................................... 34 3.2.1 Family Fabaceae .................................................................................................................. 34 3.3 Fruit ............................................................................................................................................. 39 3.3.1 Citrus .................................................................................................................................... 39 3.4 Nuts and seeds ............................................................................................................................. 42 CHAPTER 4: SUSTAINABLE FARMING SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES...................................... 47 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 47 4.2 Improved crop varieties and farming systems ............................................................................ 47 4.3 Vanuatu Research and Training Centre ...................................................................................... 47 4.4 Climate resilient varieties............................................................................................................ 47 4.5 Introduced farming systems ........................................................................................................ 52 4.5.1 Agro-forestry ........................................................................................................................ 52 4.5.2 Fallow improvement ............................................................................................................ 56 4.5.3 Cover crop ............................................................................................................................ 58 4.5.4 Vertiver grass ....................................................................................................................... 59 4.5.5 Green manure ....................................................................................................................... 60 4.5.6 Intercropping ........................................................................................................................ 61 4.5.7 Crop rotation ........................................................................................................................ 63 i 4.5.8 Hydroponic .......................................................................................................................... 64 4.5. Aquaculture ............................................................................................................................ 66 4.6 Cultivation/planting/husbandry techniques ................................................................................. 67 4.6.1 Open pit ................................................................................................................................ 67 4.6.2 Hilling or mounding ............................................................................................................. 68 4.6.3 Staking ................................................................................................................................. 70 4.6.4 Composting .......................................................................................................................... 71 4.6.5 Liquid fertilizer .................................................................................................................... 72 4.6.6 Mulch ................................................................................................................................... 73 4.6.7 Minimum weeding ............................................................................................................... 74 4.6.8 Grafted citrus ....................................................................................................................... 74 4.6.9 Multiplication of banana ...................................................................................................... 75 4.6.10 Silage for pigs during drought ........................................................................................... 76 4.6.11 Cross breeding of exotic and local breeds of livestock animals ........................................ 76 4.6.12 Processing of food materials to increase food shelf-life and feeding value for livestock animals .......................................................................................................................................... 78 CHAPTER 5: AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE: Case studies of selected communities .............................................................................................................................................................. 79 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 79 5.2 Emae Island: Central Vanuatu .................................................................................................... 82 5.2.1 Situation analysis ................................................................................................................. 82 5.2.3 Agro-ecological Feature ....................................................................................................... 82 5.2.5