A partnership between the Land and Water Resource Management Division (LWRM) of the Department of Agriculture and the Central Division Drainage Board was signed this morning at the Agriculture Department Headquarters in Raiwaqa.

This is to undertake the Daku Village climate change adaptation measures for drainage improvement and salt water intrusion protection works.

According to Director for LWRM, Collin Simmons, the division has initially facilitated the partnership between the Central Division Drainage Board and the Pacific Centre for Environment & Sustainable Development at University of the South Pacific (PACE-SD-USP) which provided financial assistance of $40,000 towards the Daku project works.

“PACE-SD is implementing the AusAID funded project of “Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation of Rural Communities in Fiji,” said Mr Simmons.

“Daku Village in the Tailevu Province was selected as one of the sites, because of its high vulnerability to current and projected climate change impacts as it is situated in low lying and flood prone area surrounded by the tidal creeks and mangrove forest,” he added.

Mr Simmons went on to say that through an earlier study, it was found that health and sanitation were the major problems due to the effects of salt water intrusion and also the inundation of flood water during heavy rain.

“After an investigation on the flood and inundation problem of Daku Village, the LWRM Division outlined various components of infrastructure development s such as drainage improvement, salt water protection and land reclamation of the village area.”

A series of discussions were held with relevant stakeholders namely the Ministry of Local Government, Department of Environment, Commissioner Central Division, Provincial administrators and PACE-SD for the implementation of the project.

The Daku Village improvement works will involve the construction of four flap gate structure, 900 cubic meters of soil fill to stop salt water intrusion, Reno mattress protection works, desilting one kilometer of internal village drains and 500 meter excavation of new drains.

In its support of this initiative, Government through the Prime Minister’s Small Grant Scheme has contributed $60,000 and the Department of Local Government has contributed a total of $30,000 towards the project.

Total cost of the works is $200,000 and a total of $130,000 in financial assistance has been received to date.

Mr Simmons said that efforts will be made to source further funds to complete the implementation of the plan.

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