Capacity building for Cooperative Extension in Micronesia to reduce Pacific Island food system vulnerability to climate variability

This project will expand the geographic scope of a current effort by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii to conduct “Climate Forums” for Pacific Island Cooperative Extension Service (CES) faculty. The objectives of these Forums are to 1) develop climate science knowledge among CES agents in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands, 2) work with CES to identify locally relevant strategies for climate change adaptation, and 3) identify opportunities to integrate these strategies into CES programs to increase adoption among agricultural producers and resources managers in the region. Building on existing curriculum and the success of Climate Forums conducted in Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, we will replicate the approach in Pohnpei and Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia. Prior Climate Forums have brought together between 40-100 extension and outreach professionals in CES and other agencies over 2- to 3-days for lectures and facilitated group activities to review the current state of climate change knowledge, existing tools and resources, and identify strategies to better prepare our clients and communities to cope with the impacts of increasing climate variability. The Climate Forums provide a venue to draw on CES personnel’s long-term understanding of local cultures, issues, and food production and land management systems to identify opportunities and the resources required to integrate climate adaptation strategies into CES programs. Syntheses of the discussions and presentations at Climate Forums in Pohnpei and Chuuk will be developed into online training modules, a database of current extension projects related to climate adaptation, and the identification of next steps, prioritized by event participants. These outputs, along with prior funded work, will contribute to a region-wide scope of work for climate adaptation needs derived from CES professionals across six island groups in the Pacific region.

Project objectives from proposal:

Our specific objectives are as follows (See Methods for greater detail):
(1) Develop and deliver a climate science curriculum via Climate Forums for CES personnel and similar
agencies on Pohnpei and Chuuk
(2) Identify and expand locally relevant opportunities and pathways to integrate climate change into
CES programs

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.