Increasing resilience to disasters in Vanuatu with right tools, knowledge

The next time you see an Extension Officer standing in the middle of his taro plantation, texting on his Smart Phone – don’t think he’s sending a message to his family about what time is dinner.

He is sending the latest information on crop production back to Port Vila to guide decisions about crop availability.

Vanuatu’s Extension Officers are being equipped and trained to respond to disasters and plan for improved resilience with practical training and “know-how.”

Radio Vanuatu reports Paul Worwor, Information Officer in the Risk and Resilience Unit (RRU) of the Ministry of Agriculture has delivered training for Extension Officers on new smartphones purchased by the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for all Extension Officers. Using a program called “Kobo Toolbox,” the Agricultural Officers were taught how to set up APN on mobile phones for internet connection, switching on the data connection and signing up for data plans on the TVL network.

“It’s an innovative tool to ensure reporting of accurate information on crops and animal production to allow evidence based decision making in times of disasters,” Worwor said.

“The Extension Officer can stand with a farmer on her land, key in the types of crops and growth stage and text it back to our office for recording and analysis. When you’re an Extension Officer on an island – it’s far easier that writing and posting a written report – quick, accessible, recordable and able to be analysed for rapid response.”

“I only wish I’d known about this before Cyclone Pam” commented one of the participants at the Workshop delivered by the technical staff of the Risk and Resilience Unit.

Lawrence Nimoho RRUs Food Security & Nutrition Officer agreed, “Our Extension Officers have been targeting growing more and more root crops to increase our preparedness and resilience after a disaster but we must make it really clear we need to promote a balance diet of vegetables and fruit as well after a cyclone.”

Agricultural Assistance Officers (AAO’s) including some senior Agriculture technical officers of SHEFA province travelled in from the islands to participate in a two-day awareness and advocacy workshop on Climate Change/ Disaster Risk Reduction (CC/DRR) and Food & Nutrition Security Preparedness.

The aim of this training was to increase Vanuatu’s preparedness and resilience in the agriculture and food security sector by increasing and improving the access of agricultural extension officers to farmers. The training has improved the DARD Extension Officers knowledge, skills and technical resources to improve and adapt the farming systems of women and men farmers in Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience.

Sheryl Mahina, the RRU-GIZ CCDRR Officer led the attendees through methods to identify, promote, communicate and harmonize and coordinate delivery of good practices across all agriculture extension services, including Non-Government Organisations active in the primary production sectors. Mahina explained, “It’s not just about growing food but preserving it for use in tough times plus we need good information flowing back to agricultural officers so we know who has planted what crops, how much and when it will be ready for harvest. In this way, if one area is devastated by a cyclone or drought, we can organise food from unaffected areas that’s ready to be harvested to be shipped to the needy areas.”

“It’s all about increasing resilience to disasters with the right tools and knowledge,” explained Joshua Mael, Manager of RRU.

Photo: Agriculture Officers from North Efate, Epi, East Efate and Emae with their Smart Phones collecting vital agricultural data.