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Caqalai  Base  Achievement  Report  November  2014  Objective:  Environmental  Resource  Conservation  /  Livelihood  Adaptation  

 Establishing  the  Caqalai  Marine  Research  and  Climate  Change  

Adaptation  Project      Summary  During  the   final  quarter  of  2014  GVI   Fiji   relocated   the   Marine  Research   base   of   operations  following   the   culmination   of  three   years   work   in   the   Nacula  Tikina,   Yasawa   to   Caqalai   Island  in   the   Lomaiviti   group.   Caqalai  Island   offers   a   unique   staging  ground   to   further   investigate  climate   change   adaptation  techniques   and   approaches   to  community   based   marine  resource  management.  Having   now   established  

operations  in  this  unique  location,  GVI  Fiji  will  be  responsible  for  the  environmental  custodianship  of  this  island  and  surrounding  reefs  for  a  period  of  3  years.    Background  On  the  4th  of  October  2014  GVI  Fiji  officially   relocated  operations   to  Caqalai   Island  of   the  coast  of  Moturiki   Island.  The  island  has  been  inhabited  by  the  communities  of  neighbouring  Mororiki   Island  and   has   formerly   operated   as   a   small   ‘home-­‐stay’   resort.   Through   arrangements   with   K.Saravi  Consultancy,   the   Fiji   Methodist   Church,   and   the   local   communities   of   Moturiki   Island,   GVI   have  established  a  permanent   facility  as  a  marine  conservation  and  climate  change  adaptation  research  base.  GVI  Fiji  volunteers  are  now  living  full  time  on  the  island  contributing  towards  projects  aimed  at  increasing  environmental  awareness,  improving  marine  resource  management  and  exploring  climate  adaptation   strategies   in   conjunction  with   local   communities.   The  programme  on  Caqalai  has  been  set  up  to  focus  on  the  following  areas:    

• Marine  Resource  Management  and  Research  • Community  Outreach  and  Capacity  building  • Climate  Change  adaptation  strategies  and  alternative  livelihood  practice  

 Caqalai   Island   offers   a   unique   context   from   which   to   engage   the   above   focuses,   due   to   both   its  terrestrial   and  marine  environment   and  proximity   to   indigenous   communities   in  which   livelihoods  are  inextricably  linked  to  the  natural  environment  for  both  sustenance  and  trade.      With  10  villages  on  Moturiki  Island  and  2  primary  schools,  GVI  have  been  in  contact  with  local  stakeholders  to      

   

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promote   the   continuing   goals   of   the   organisation   (specifically   Environmental   Education,  Conservation  and  Marine  Research).  The  larger  Moturiki  community  have  welcomed  the  project  and  expressed  both  interest  in  and  support  of  the  project  goals.    Community  Outreach  –  Support  through  Collaboration  

     Moturiki   District   School   (160   students)   and  Uluibau   Primary   School   (50   students)   have  invited   GVI   to   assist   on   a   part   time   basis   by  delivering   lessons   on   environmental  awareness   and   arranging   hands   on   activities  for   students   on   a   weekly   basis   in   2015.   This  interaction  will   form  a   crucial   element  of   the  community  outreach  programme.      In  addition  to  interactions  with  schools,  and  in  keeping   with   accepted   protocol   for   the  development  of  our  projects,  volunteers  have  carried   out   40   household   surveys   in   Uluibau  

and  Wawa  villages  to  gain  a  better  understanding  of  local  issues  and  the  ways  in  which  GVI  and  local  communities  can  work  together  to  tackle  them.      Prominent  issues  that  have  been  identified  through  the  surveys  include  poor  waste  management,  a  lack  of  fresh  water  throughout  the  dry-­‐season  for  both  sanitation  and  hygiene,  and  issues  involved  with   the   communities   heavy   reliance   on   subsistence   farming   and  marine   resources   for   livelihood.  GVI  Fiji  staff  are  developing  the  project  goals  for  2015  based  on  these  findings.    Marine  Research  -­‐  Investigating  solutions  for  community  based  resource  management  

   

Caqalai  Island  itself  is  part  of  an  extensive  reef  network,  which  will  be  continually  surveyed  as  part  of  an  on-­‐going  programme  to  build  up  an  historical  dataset  of  changes  to  the  local  marine  ecosystem  and  contributing  factors  to  the  overall  reef  health  and  the  relation  of  this  change  to  climatic  factors.  To  date,  GVI  have  carried  out  25  underwater  surveys  which,  although  it  is  too  early  to  speculate  on  the  overall  health  of  the  reef,  have  shed  light  on  some  of  the  potential  stressors  on  the  reef  

system.  The  biodiversity  of  the  reef  varies  drastically  between  sites  over  a  relatively  small  area  and  there  have  been  various  sightings  of  particular  note  (17  threatened  shark  sightings,  1  Manta  ray  sighting,  17  turtle  sightings  and  a  total  of  35  IUCN  Red  List  animals).    In  addition  to  the  continual  surveying  of  Caqalai’s  surrounding  reefs,  GVI  will  be  carrying  out  surveys  within  the  tabu  (locally  enforced  restricted  fishing)  areas  at  communities  on  Motoriki.  On  the  5th      

   

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December  an  initial  GPS  survey  was  undertaken  to  demarcate  the  boundary  of  Uluibau’s  tabu  area  prior  to  the  underwater  surveys  taking  place.  With  this  area  mapped,  and  the  relevant  permissions  granted,  GVI  will  begin   to  work   in   the  area  during,  and  after  which   findings  will  be  communicated  back   to   the   community   and   recommendations  made   as   to   how   better  manage   the   area   so   as   to  ensure   ongoing   food   security   through   the   sustainable   use   of   this   valuable   resource   for   future  generations.    Climate  adaptation  and  alternative  livelihood  practice  –  Observation,  Innovation,  and  Response  

   Caqalai  Island  offers  a  unique  opportunity  to  trial  technologies  and  systems  which,  if  successful,  could  prove  to  be  of  advantage  to   local   communities   as   they   adapt   to   a  changing   climate.   With   island  communities   being   so   inextricably   linked  to   their   natural   environment   for  sustenance   and   trade,   finding   ways   to  adapt   livelihoods   will   help   communities  become   more   resilient   to   the   negative  impacts   of   climate   change.       GVI  will   use  Caqalai   Island   as   a   testing   ground   for  organic   vegetable   farming,   beekeeping,  

drip-­‐fed  irrigation  systems,  rainwater  harvesting,  solar  power,  composting  toilets,  reforestation  and  anti-­‐erosion  planting.  Through  research  and  observation,  the  GVI  team  hopes  to  be  able  to  pin  point  solutions   that   can   be   up-­‐scaled   for   the   benefit   of   local   communities.   Tried   and   tested   methods  would   then   be   presented   to   communities   in   the   form   of   a   ‘toolkit’   –   a   variety   of   trainings   on  innovative   methods   designed   to   help   communities   members   to   sustainably   adapt   livelihoods  through   the   improvement   of   infrastructure,   food   and  water   security,   disaster   risk   awareness,   and  income  generation  initiatives.  Laying  the  foundation  for  these  long  term  goals  has  begun  and  a  work  plan  designed  for  2015.      

       For  more  information  on  GVI’s  projects  in  Fiji  please  

visit  www.gvi.co.uk  For  more  information  on  our  global  impact  visit  

www.gviworld.com  To  make  a  donation  to  our  community  projects  in  Fiji  please  visit  www.gvi.org  for  more  details.  

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