The Palau Conservation Society (PCS) had conducted an outreach program in the Kayangel Island earlier this month to boost water and food security.
The outreach program was part of the project dubbed as “Building the resilience of communities and the ecosystems to the impacts of climate change in Micronesia and Melanesia.
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The project, which was funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) through the International Climate Initiative Project with the Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT), was part of the effort to improve community resilience to climate change.
The project also targets issues such as water conservation, fisheries conservation, household gardening, and alternative fishing through the promotion of deep water fishing (versus reef fishing).
PCS staff shared their knowledge and skills to over 20 households in the island.
During the outreach, Kayangel residents received complimentary reusable water bottles as well as important reminders on how to conserve water such as saving water when brushing teeth and washing dishes, only washing full loads of laundry, repairing leaky pipes, mulching to hold water, and being careful not to pollute water sources.
The program was deemed important especially for low lying atoll islands like Kayangel whose main source of water lies underground and can be in short supply and vulnerable to human activity and climate related events like drought or salt water intrusion.
The PCS also deliver gardening supplies and equipment to PJF-Kayangel Elementary to support the development of a school garden.
PCS is going to provide household gardening tools to residents—composters, start-up soil, and seeds.
The community will also be provided with a shredder (to assist with composting) and electric fishing reels for deep water fishing. (PR) [/restrict]