The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) is reminding all farmers that Vanuatu is now in the cyclone season which will end in April.
The Department of Agriculture is advising all farmers to take precautions before a Tropical Cyclone forms.
Farmers are being urged to cut off tree branches close to farm houses as they could cause damage.
Other precautionary measures include remove old farm houses that are not needed, reinforce the roofing of the farm house with nails or a rope and bar, and the windows of the farm house with iron roofing or timber.
In gardens, farmers should remove leaves from bananas, prune island cabbages, trim top of cassava plants, harvest bananas that are ready, harvest water taro that might be washed away by water, and harvest enough food and store them at home.
Farmers should also harvest fruits that are ready and those that are almost ready and store them at home, keep the seeds to replant, and remove tree branches that might be broken by strong winds.
DARD is continuing to advise local farmers that after a Tropical Cyclone event, farm houses destroyed by the winds should be repaired.
At farm gardens, dig up cassava that have been destroyed by winds, if there are too many cassava, dig a hole in the soil to store the extra cassava.
Harvest other food crops that are still good and store them at home, and replant island cabbage branches that are broken.
Pruning of kava branches that are broken and replanting of those kava branches, prepare banana suckers for replanting, replant sweet potato vines, and prune branches of trees that are broken.
It is important that all farmers must listen to all radio outlets for information updates on any Tropical Cyclone that affects Vanuatu.
Photo supplied Caption, Shefa DARD Officer Willie Iau trims cassava tops