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'Adapting to climate change and boosting food security through traditional knowledge and skills on Maiana' July 2020

June 03, 2020: Under a project aimed at enhancing national food security under climate change (known as ‘LDCF 1’), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through its Culture and Museum Division, together with Tourism, have returned from a five-day visit to Maiana island to continue activities begun on the island several months ago, including planting of traditional food crops and to conduct research on traditional knowledge related to the environment and food security.

'Establishing a mini hatchery for giant clams and sandfish monitoring on Maiana Island' June 2020

June 29 2020: A team of four officials from the Aquaculture Unit in Coastal Fisheries, Tanaea has returned from a one-week trip to Maiana to research establishing a mini-hatchery for giant clams, and to monitor populations of sandfish and clams.

A highly prized food source, giant clams have been declining in abundance over the years. Harvesting hatchery-reared clams is more sustainable than harvesting wild clams. Hatcheries support the diversification of clams for livelihoods and economic activities.

'Post-harvest fisheries and value-adding training completed on Abemama island' May 2020

Post-harvest fisheries and value-adding training completed on Abemama island, May 2020

Tarawa, May 2020 -- A team of five officials from the Fisheries Division have conducted a second round of hands-on training with Abemama communities, aimed at improving skills in cooking and food preservation methods that will help to enhance food security under conditions of climate change.

Approximately 250 participants, including approximately 150 women, took part in the trainings – conducted from April 21 to May 10, starting from the village of Kabangaki and finishing in Tabiang – learning seafood recipes including bottled fish, smoked fish, fish balls, and sea grapes.

Each training also included awareness-raising on plastics and waste management on the island, ensuring that the marine and land environments remain healthy, clean and safe.

Everyone in the villages participated actively, sharing concerns and asking for clarifications.

As well as the training, the team worked with Fisheries Division Extension Staff who will undertake follow-up activities.

As part of the trip, the team also conducted interviews with three to four participants from each village, to hear their stories on adapting to climate change.

The training was deemed a success and there was widespread gratitude with thankful hearts toward the project. Participants said they hoped for more training, including more cooking techniques, during future visits.

One elder from Tabiang, Bwameri Taningaboo, expressed how grateful they were for Abemama being one of the project’s pilot islands, and they would be sure to practice what they learned during the training.

The Mayor, Linda Ueanteang added, “This project is useful as it teaches us the value of our environment and the importance of preserving and nourishing natural resources, so we can draw on them in times of natural disaster.”

Managed by the Environment and Conservation Division under the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development, the LDCF2’ project is funded with the support of the Global Environment Facility-Least Developed Countries Fund and implemented with the United Nations Development Programme. Its goal is to build the adaptive capacity of vulnerable Kiribati communities to ensure food security under conditions of climate change. http://www.environment.gov.ki/?page_id=1295

For more information and photos, please contact Teitirake Kabwaua
tteanoa@gmail.com
Phone # 73037367

 

'Official Handover of Maiana's Resource Management Plan And Constitution to the Island Council' May 2020

Official Handover of Maiana`s Resource Management Plan And Constitution to the Island Council, May 2020

Tarawa, May 2 2020 – The island of Maiana has hosted a celebratory feast at the island council`s Maneaba (Te Ingungu n Tabwakea 2), marking the official handover of their island’s Resource Management Plan policies.

Attended by councils from villages and officers from the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development (MELAD), the handover was conducted between the leader of “Te Bau n Maiana,” and the Director from the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD).

The policies focus on the safeguarding of natural resources that could benefit and be used by locals. As part of the trip, the MELAD team joined the leader of “Te Bau n Maiana” in visiting the 12 villages of the island raising public awareness about the purpose of the policy.

During the handover celebration, the leader of “Te Bau n Maiana” said that his island is ready to initiate their policies with all costs. The Director from ECD- MELAD emphasised the involvement of the Environment and Conservation Division in guiding and supporting Maiana with their new island policies.

The island policies link closely to other related environmental policies that council of Maiana is working on.

As part of the presentation to the council, the Ministry of Women, Youth, and Social Affairs gave confirmation certificates to Te Bau-ni-Maiana as a recognition that their organization is part of any policy initiatives on the island.

The hope for this island policy in Maiana is a two-way initiative with MELAD through the Environment and Conservation Division in safeguarding and protecting natural resources for future generations.

The trip was supported by the Food Security Project, commonly known as the LDCF-1 which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the UNDP and managed by the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) under the MELAD.

 

'Enhancing resilience to climate change activities on Maiana island' May 2020

Enhancing resilience to climate change activities on Maiana island, May 2020

Tarawa, May 20 2020 -- A team from the Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Agricultural Development has returned from Maiana island after a one-week official trip under the project ‘Enhancing National Food Security in the Context of Climate Change’ (known locally as LDCF2)

The trip began on May 2 with an official handing over of the Integrated Community Based Mangrove & Natural Resources co-Management Plan from the Director of Environment and Conservation Unit to the leader of “Te bau ni Maiana”. The plan is let them initiate their island policies in safeguarding their green and blue environment toward the context of climate change resilience.

The following day, on May 3, the team conducted a household-level survey at one village. Designed to feed into an environmental vulnerability assessment study, the survey focused on how people are experiencing the impacts of climate change and human activities, how they are affecting the quality and integrity of the environment and the livelihoods of local people. The island will be revisited again for the completion of this Environment Vulnerability Assessment Study.

The team then conducted a two-day workshop with experts in traditional and local skills, including fishermen, traditional healers, local weavers, gardeners, traditional builders, and youth representatives. Attended by six participants from each village, the workshop sought to determine which natural resources each village has, and to outline major issues posed by climate change toward their natural resources and livelihood means.

On May 9 the team also worked in cooperation with villagers and youth representatives to:

  • Tag 17 turtles

  • Plant 521 mangrove seedlings on the shores of Tebwangetua

  • Plant 6 varieties of pandanus trees, at the coastal area of Tebwangetua adjacent to the mangrove planting site.

    The team also completed the following during the course of their trip:

Environmental auditing of seawall construction sites and coastal erosion areas in Tebikerai,

Tekaraanga and Tebwangetua (Tebieauea). This auditing assists locals in ensuring that their seawall was constructed through the Environmental Act.

Cutting and removal of 27 fallen coconut trees along the coastline at Tekaranga, Tematantongo, Tebiauea, Buota and Bubutei villages. (marenauan Buota ma Bubutei).
Building of a traditional seawall, known as “te buibui”, along the coast of Tematantongo village with representatives from villages.

A school visit to Tewaiwai JSS in Tebwangetua, raising awareness of students on the importance of a healthy environment and how they can help to safeguard it.

The team returned to Tarawa on May 10.

The LDCF2 project is funded with the support of the Global Environment Facility-Least Developed Countries Fund and implemented with the United Nations Development Programme. Its goal is to build the adaptive capacity of vulnerable Kiribati communities to ensure food security under conditions of climate change. http://www.environment.gov.ki/?page_id=1295

For more information and photos, please contact; Teitirake.Kabwaua
tteanoa@gmail.com
Phone # 73037367

 

'Ark shell survey on Nonouti Island' July 2018

A team from the Research and Monitoring Unit at the Fisheries Division have visited Nonouti to verify the stock of ark shell “cockled shellfish”, locally known as te bun, and to explore potential sites habitable by this type of seashell. The team also examined a future translocation program, in order to establish multiple populations to support the marine food sources for the islanders. The team carried out consultations with seven village communities from Te Nanoraoi to Teuaabu.

'Clam and sandfish farming program on Maiana Island' July 2019

Fisheries officials visit Maiana island to carry out the deployment of clams, collect the matured maxima and hippopus for broodstock and to identify potential sites for sandfish farming. The program is in response to concerns raised during the Community Based Fisheries Management consultation in May 2019 about the decline in the abundance of these fisheries’ marine resources and the threat to their livelihoods, in particular the depletion in the number of clams as one of their marine food sources.

'Culture and museum mission on Abemama Island' March 2018

On 4 March, 2018, a team of three from the Culture and Museum Division visited Abemama Island, one of the Southern islands of the Gilbert Group in Kiribati, to undertake activities supporting food security in the face of climate change. The trip involved a workshop around theory and practical training in planting long-term native trees considered valuable in sustaining food security, promoting economic activities and preserving traditional cultural values and practices. The training was attended by household representatives including elders, middle-aged men and women, and youth, totaling 182 participants.

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