Project GCCA conclude all activities for Funafuti

Sandalwood plant with host plant "Portulaca oleraca"

GCCA has played a major role in fulfilling its objectives to assist the Funafuti communities. Last few days held a training to demonstrate intensive agricultural production on under-utilized land, while diversifying crop varieties available nationally, and it was the last activity for the project for the Funafuti community. During the training, the participant had the chance to plant the first ever sandalwood seedlings provide by SPC, co funded under project GCCA. The participant make history in farming sandalwood as they are the first ever farmers to plant sandalwood in Tuvalu grounds

Left is Nukufetau Island project which is very unfortunate for the project to go there due to transportation of heavy duty machinery by boat, whereas Tuvalu Maritime are so anxious for the safety of the machines on board vessels if loaded for transportation from Funafuti to Nukufetau. All tools, machines and implements to Nukufetau are on the warehouse in Funafuti awaiting transportation to Nukufetau to launch the project. The Technical Assistant of the project is also worried that the project might run out of time and the work in Nukufetau has not started yet. The Department of Agriculture also assist the project by funding maintenance and future development of the project and prioritize its co-existence with other development of the Departments

At the meantime, GCCA field workers are now involving maintenance and monitoring of the nursery and two agroforestry sites in Funafuti. They will look after the welfare of the crops planted on the two sites and the growth development of seedlings in the nursery. Despite all odds, the GCCA team will not give up yet but will try to fulfil what can be done before conclusion of the project GCCA in December

Project Update fro GCCA PSIS Agroforestry project in Tuvalu

Project Global Climate Change Alliance Pacific Small Island States (GCCA PSIS) is an EU funded Agroforestry Project and was executed by the Secretary of the Pacific Community SPC.

In its recent development in Tuvalu, GCCA PSIS project had achieved some of its objective despite delayed of work materials to arrive into the country. Since last year, April 2014, the project was handed over from the Environment Department to be implemented by the Department of Agriculture. Thus far, a nursery was established, a project plot was cited and heavy machinery were imported considering the execution of the objectives outline in the Project Design Document PDD. Furthermore, the project also held training's for farmers, landowners, women and youth associations in order to better themselves in agroforestry management and machinery operation. Most of the project objectives were created to execute the priorities mentioned in the Te Kakeega II. Below are the priorities mentioned in the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD) Te Kakeega II.

Excavator provide by GCCA PSIS Agroforestry project

1.      Improve and expand agricultural extension services.

2.      Create more opportunities to educate and train agriculturalists.

3.      Expand availability of basic agricultural tools and equipment.

4.      Assist private entrepreneurs to produce and market local produce.

5.      Assist with access to land and credit.

6.      Incorporate more agricultural subjects into school curricula.

Tractor provide by GCCA PSIS Argoforestry project

From the above priorities, priority 1 and 4 was selected to create the Key Result Areas in the Project objectives. Below are the Key Result Areas of the project. Therefore, The GCCA: PSIS project is implemented by SPC as part of its ‘whole of organization approach’ and is one of the activities contributing to the SPC Climate Change Engagement Strategy. The four key result areas (KRA) of the GCCA: PSIS project are:

Few crops grown for Nukufetau GCCA PSIS Agroforestry project

National Level Key Result Areas

·               KRA 1: Supporting national efforts to successfully mainstream climate change into national and sector response strategies.

·               KRA 2: Identifying, designing and supporting the implementation of adaptation activities.

Regional Level Key Result Areas

·               KRA 3: Enhancing the contribution of regional organisations to national adaptation responses.

·               KRA 4: Building regional capacity to coordinate the delivery of streamlined adaptation finance and targeted technical assistance to countries.

Project GCCA PSIS Agroforestry in Tuvalu is on its final financial stage. Completing in December 2015, the Implementing Department is undergo the final workloads to fulfill the project objective before its completion in December 2015.