PEF RECOGNISING HYBRID

SOLUTIONS TO BUILDING RESILIENCE: PACC PALAU

Presented by:

Taito Nakalevu, PACC PM, SPREP

Outline

About PACC (5 mins)

PACC Palau - Food Security Sector◦Taro demonstration◦Problem◦Action research (on-farm demo)◦Preliminary results

Lessons

ABOUT PACC

VIDEO CLIP > 4’40”

Palau – Adaptation Context

~ 85% population reside in low-lying coastal areas of Palau

Taro is the main staple crop

Planted in low-lying areas.

Salt water intrusion impacting adversely on taro (staple) crop

About 7-9mm/yr

Palau – Adaptation Context

Projected to increase by 5-15cm (high confidence PCCSP)

Low lands are abandoned due to high salinity

Food imports in Palau have grown by 133% in the last decade, while the population has increased by 20%

NGIMIS 1 NGIMIS 2 NGIMIS 3

pH 5.3 4.5 4.5OM (%) 13.40 18.75 20.04

N% 0.5 0.61 0.55

P ppm (Olsen) *13 *8 *8

K me/100g soil 0.58 0.52 0.62

Na me/100g soil 5.05 18.76 5.48

Ca me/100g soil 5.46 7.19 5.59

CEC me/100g soil 3.0 41.6 37.3

Cl ppm 649 3290 973

Fe ppm 810 1243 1683

SOIL ANALYSIS OF PILOT SITE(3 AREAS)

Adaptation Option(s) demonstrated

1. Taro Variety testing for salt tolerance – 19 varieties tested• 13 Local

varieties– Ochelochel– Kirang– Ungil Dil– Okelang– Dungersuul– Ngesuas– Homusted– Dirrubong– Prak

– Terrekakl– Kerdeu– Ochab– Dirratengadik

• 6 Introduced varieties– Tan/ Ind 14– Tan/Mal 14– BL/HW 12– SM 10– SM 12– SM 111

TESTED for SALT

TOLERANCE

6 INTRODUCED

SOURCED FROM

: SPC LAND RESOURCE

UNIT

2. Test the use of traditional dykes to control salt water intrusion

Preliminary Results:

March 2013, 8 months after planting 2nd Harvest

S116

Hom

uste

d

Kerd

eu

Kira

ng

Och

eloc

hel

Dirr

aous

ch

Dirr

ubon

g

HW 1

2

Mer

ii

Miu

ako

Oub

erbu

rs

Tan/

Ind

14

A11 A10 A9 A8 A7 A6 A5 A4 A3 A2 A1

05

1015202530

Survival

Survival

Tan/

Ind

14

Kerd

eu

Dirr

aten

gadi

k

Mel

talt

Dirr

ubon

g

Och

ab

Nges

uas

Dung

ersu

ul

Dirr

aous

ch

Hom

uste

d

HW 2

6

B11 B10 B9 B8 B7 B6 B5 B4 B3 B2 B1

05

10152025303540

Survival

Survival

HW 2

6

Nger

uuch

Miu

ako

Ngke

klau

Mer

ii

Nges

uas

SM 1

15

Och

ab

SM 1

15

Och

eloc

hel

Dirr

aten

gadi

k

SM 1

16

C11 C10 C9 C8 C7 C6 C5 C4 C3 C2 C1

0102030405060

Survival

Survival

Terr

ekak

l

Dung

ersu

ul

HW 1

2

Kira

ng

Mel

talt

Terr

ekak

l

Nger

uuch

Thom

as

D8 D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1

010203040506070

Survival

Survival

Block A Block B

Block C Block D

Performance of traditional dykesResults - mixedUsing only traditional materials with soil no longer stops intrusion

More secondary dykes had to be build.

Also there is now the use of plastic or tarpaulin materials and sandbags to help keep out the salt water.

Clearing of waterway from the hill

BEFOREAFTERTraditionally farmers rely on dykes and

flushing to keep the salt water out or flush out salt water in the plantations.

Women are responsible for Taro Planting

Raising the dike and installing a rubber sheet lining

Construction of the main dike with rubber lining and sand bags

More secondary dykes have to be build to prevent intrusion

Traditionally men are not allowed into taro patches. Now they need to assist the women to deal with

salinity challenges

Lessons…Natural solutions are best but may

not be enough thus the need to be open to hybrid solutions to better adapt

Traditional practices need to change to deal with new challenges brought about by climate change

Be flexible and open minded to adaptation solutions as the situation demands

Partnerships & LinkagesThis project is a collaboration between

◦SPREP-UNDP-GEF-AusAID PACC Project

◦Office of Environmental Response & Coordination

◦Palau Community College Cooperative Research and Extension

◦College of Micronesia Land Grant Programs◦AusAID International Climate Change

Adaptation to Climate (ICCAI) through SPC◦SPC North Pacific Office

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION :

Taito Nakalevu: taiton@sprep.org Peniamina Leavai: peniaminal@sprep.orgNaheed Hussein: naheedh@sprep.org

Pacific Climate Change portal: www.pacificclimatechange.net

Vital roads: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0kpPxAf3SY

Vital water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri2SeIgJiXg

Vital Food: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcZU3HfNfak