The South Pacific is vulnerable to natural disasters
Countries in the South Pacific---including Australia, Fiji, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Niue--- are especially susceptible to natural disasters. Cyclones, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, landslides and droughts can have devastating effects, particularly on farmlands.
Facts
Fiji experiences flooding nearly every year due to cyclones and tropical depressions that bring heavy rainfall. "Data on floods and their impacts are scarce in Fiji," according to the Australian Government Research Report: Economic Impact of Natural Disasters on Development in the Pacific.
Effects on Fiji's Farmlands
"The January 2009 floods in Fiji were reported as the worst in the history of the country since the 1931 floods," according to International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Sugar cane farms and other sectors of the sugar industry experienced an estimated $24 million in damages.
Impact on Tuvalu
Subsistence farming of crops such as coconuts is of primary importance to Tuvalu's economy. Swamp taro, another major staple in Tuvalu, is sensitive to seawater contamination, according to the United Nations, which reports that "an increase in cyclones and storm surges as a result of climate change is likely to severely limit the growing capability of the nation's principle crop."
Food Shortages
According to United Nations University, "food crises arise in connection with natural disasters." When crops are destroyed, it can take months for farmland recovery and crop restoration.
Concerns
"The effects of natural disasters in the Pacific are often exacerbated by unsound development, especially poor agricultural practices," according to the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International.
Solutions
To deal with the effects of drought in Australia, the National Drought Policy was adopted in 1992. As a result, better preparedness policies have been put in place, and financial assistance is available to farmers particularly hard hit by drought.
Tags: South Pacific, natural disasters, natural disasters, United Nations