Climate hazard challenges

ALMOST 97 per cent of sugarcane farmers in Fiji have faced a climate hazard in the past five years, a new study has revealed.

The study by four authors, including Suhayl Nadir and Salesh Kumar of the Fiji National University, showed Fiji was impacted by three Category five tropical cyclones —Winston in 2016, Yasa and Harold in 2020 — as well as one Category 1 (Ana in 2021) and a Category 2 cyclone (Tino 2020).

“Approximately half of farmers classified the impact of climate hazards to their production and livelihoods as high,” the authors said.

“A high level of impact was described as a complete disruption to production and loss of all income, during which farmers had to rely on aid or other types of financial support to provide for their families.

“A medium level meant there was substantial disruption to production and loss of income of more than 10 per cent of normal circumstances, and they had to complement their earnings with alternative sources of income.

“A low impact level meant there was temporary disruption to production and loss of income of less than 10 per cent of normal circumstances.”

Farmers were asked which strategies they had implemented to prepare for or anticipate the effects of specific climate hazards.

“Virtually the entire sample of farmers (96 per cent) did not engage in any anticipatory responses. In terms of reactive responses, slightly over half the farmers (54 per cent) did not implement any strategy to recover after a climate hazard.

“Those who did implement a reactive response implemented mostly coping strategies, the majority associated with receiving monetary support.

“The proportion of farmers who reported receiving financial assistance from the government or non-governmental organisation was 83 per cent.

“The farmers who plan on leaving sugarcane farming had a high proportion (71 per cent) of individuals who either did not implement any action to recover from an event or did not recover, compared to 67 per cent of those who were ‘unsure’ and 58 per cent of those who intend to remain.”