The future of food security for the Pacific islands is closely linked to climate change and its impact on the region. Most Pacific Islanders are coastal dwellers, therefore coastal fisheries provide a significant source of food and economic security.

The forecasted increase in sea temperature in the years ahead will result in the decline of fisheries productivity, primary food sources for Pacific Islanders, thus posing a serious threat to their livelihood.

The accompanying rise in sea level is also lessening the amount of arable land available for food production, both by direct inundation and through storm surges increasing the salinity of land in coastal areas.

   Sea Level Rise in Tuvalu (photo courtesy of

   Gary Braasch/World View of Global Warming)          

   Deforestation in Vanuatu (photo courtesy of

                    University of Wellington, Victoria)   

Food insecurity in the Pacific is also due to large-scale deforestation and monoculture crop production, as well as use of land for biofuel and biodiesel production, given the high fossil fuel prices in the international market.

Although we do not currently run food security programs in the Pacific, we always seek opportunities to assist Pacific Islanders to achieve food security by enhancing their capacity to manage and mitigate risks associated with environmental degradation and climate change.