Climate Change & Sustainable Agriculture

Food security is a major concern in Western Santo. Sitting in the rain shadow of the high Santo Mountain Chain, the dry season is often a time of shortage, when communities rely on imported and unhealthy processed foods.




Climate change is exacerbating these livelihood impacts. Local farmers are facing increasing difficulties to provide food and income for their families as climate is not sufficiently considered and farming practices are not fully risk informed. In the aftermath of the direct hit of category 5 Cyclone Harold, many farmers in Western Santo commenced growing kava for urgently needed income generation. To do this, they are clearing trees and forests near many of our sensitive rivers and streams, as they do not understand the impacts of kava farming on the environment of the Santo Mountain Chain Key Biodiversity Area.




There is now an increasing likelihood that critical forest areas will be cleared for unsustainable agriculture, making communities vulnerable. It is clear that there is a pressing need to provide climate smart agriculture techniques to indigenous villages, and Santo Sunset Environment Network (SSEN) has the solution for this.