The South Pacific Community (SPC), together with climate change officers from South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), organized the initiative.
7 October 2010: The South Pacific Community (SPC), together with climate change officers from South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), organized an awareness initiative on climate change work in the region. The event, which took place from 4-6 October 2010, at SPC’s office in Nabua, Fiji, included a panel focused on integrating agroforestry and biodiversity into climate change adaptation plans.
Panellists highlighted two aspects of climate change adaptation: integrating measures into sustainable forest management that ensure that forests and trees are able to adapt to climate change impacts and continue to provide products and services that are vital to livelihoods; and integrating forests and trees into adaptation planning strategies. SPC highlighted the important role forests play in the lives of Pacific people, including in providing fuelwood, food, medicine, and items used in cultural or ceremonial practices.
During the discussion, SPC highlighted two agricultural practices to minimize the effects of climate change: selecting and breeding locally adapted crop varieties and animal breeds that are resistant to diseases and pests; and using bio-diverse agriculture to build organic matter through crop rotation, composting, green manure, cover crops and charcoal. [SPC Press Release]