Building resilience to climate change and the use of nature-based solutions to arrest problems caused by nature was reiterated to stabilize riverbank and to address soil erosion.
This was highlighted by the Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy while commissioning the “Training on the Applications of Vetiver System Technology for Erosion and Sediment Control, Slope Stabilization and Environmental Protection’’ at Vunimoli community hall in Labasa today.
Minister Reddy further reiterated implementation of climate-resilient infrastructure is vital as some effects of climate change are irreversible in some cases.
“Hard engineering solutions are not a suitable solution to deal with problems caused by nature,” said Minister Reddy.
“A sustainable solution to a problem caused by nature should arise by nature itself and therefore soft engineering works with nature-based to protect riverbank and soil erosions is vital such as using vetiver green technology to protect our waterways for the safeguard of our communities, infrastructure and other sectors linked to waterways,” added Dr. Reddy
The Ministry of Waterways & Environment is committed to its vision of resilient Fiji, and in doing so the Ministry has implemented various activities to assist low Fijians to overcome the obstacles of climate change.
“Our riverbanks are eroding, putting critical infrastructure and lives at risk and to address this, the Ministry of Waterways and Environment is encouraging ecosystem-based adaptation measure, that is the use of Vetiver Grass to prevent erosion along coastal and river banks.
Minister Reddy stated that the Fijian Government would continue its unwavering battle to address Climate Change and strengthen Fiji's resilience through strategic investments in interventions that would increase the adaptive capacity of all Fijians.
Meanwhile, there are more than thirty participants attending a three days’ workshop on Applications of Vetiver System Technology for Erosion and Sediment Control, Slope Stabilization and Environmental Protection’ conducted by Dr. Paul Truong, a Senior Technical Director, for vetiver organization from Brisbane, Australia .