The location of Viro Village in Ovalau has made it susceptible to the impact of rising sea-levels.

Villager Elder, Tukana Tagilala says agricultural productivity dropped a few years ago as salt-water slowly entered farmlands situated a few metres from the coastline.

However, Tagilala attended various training sessions and learned the best farming methods to mitigate the impact of climate change and retain agricultural productivity.

“Sea-level rise is real. Speaking from experience, horticulture is the best farming method to tackle this issue. Now I’m, planting dalo, banana, vegetables and sandalwood on the same piece of land. I have also dug proper drainage to filter salt-water and it is effective.”

He adds they’re also practicing organic farming which has raised the standard of their produce in recent months.

Villagers have also taken a pro-active approach using man-made and nature-based solutions to build a seawall less expensive than a concrete wall.

Tagilala says they will continue to pursue nature-based solutions to protect the community.