Kastom Garden Association (KGA) is continuing its efforts to reduce the negative effects of climate change of farming in the country.
The non-government organisation was part of a delegation that visited Temotu Province recently under the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) programme.
KGA centre supervisor Severino Lausao said PACC had helped Kastom Garden to carry out its organic system of back yard gardening in affected coastal areas in some parts of Solomon Islands.
He said recent visits to Sikaiana in the Malaita Outer Islands and Temotu have highlighted the need to adopt back yard gardening, also known as “Basket Gardening”.
“I see back year gardening is much need for communities living along coastal areas or places affected by the climate change to adopt,” Lausao said.
“Through this, we can make use of top soil with rubbish as way to preparing the best soil to establish our small garden,” he added.
Lausao said back yard gardening is easy, effective and helpful, if communities at the coastal areas take it seriously.
“I believe back yard gardening or basket gardening is one of the most effective methods of gardening affected communities need to adopt.”
Recently, the PACC team went back to Sikaiana as part of their follow up programme.
“Ideally, a backyard vegetable garden should contribute to your family’s well- being without taking too much of your time.
“This can be achieved with a little planning to get started out right, and a commitment to low- maintenances organic methods, which save and ensure a healthy garden year after year.
“With this, Kastom Gaden sees it as a very important activity that needs to be recognised by the supportive programmes that deal with addressing climate change in the country,” Lausao said.
Kastom Garden is slowly introducing its backyard gardening to some of the affected areas through the support of PACC.
PACC is the first major climate change adaptation initiative in the Pacific region.
Since it began in 2009 the Programme has been laying the groundwork for more resilient Pacific communities that are better able to cope with climate variability today and climate change tomorrow.
The Programme approaches this from two directions:
It is working to enhance adaptive capacity on the ground, and it is driving the mainstreaming of climate risks into national development planning and activities.
Working in 14 Pacific island countries, the Programme is demonstrating best-practice adaptation in three key climate-sensitive areas: Coastal zone management, food security and food production, and water resources management.
Each country is hosting a pilot project in one of these theme areas to demonstrate how climate change adaptation can work on the ground.
BY SOLOMON LOFANA
