Pacific / Solomon Islands

Solomons told to reduce risk to disaster

10:31 am on 8 June 2015

The UNDP is calling on the Solomon Islands government to be more proactive in its approach to Disaster Risk Reduction.

Its Pacific Risk Resilience initiative has just completed distributing fast growing seeds to remote communities in Temotu province, which was hit by Cyclone Pam in March.

The programme's Adi Galokepoto says the seeds are a crucial part of the recovery but says there were lengthy delays getting them out to communities because no systems had been put in place.

She says such initiatives should be part of government budgeting and planning so there are funds and systems in place after disaster strikes.

Mrs Galokepoto says longer term crops now reaching the affected communities are being provided by villages on nearby islands that have applied disaster risk reduction practices to their farming.

Photo: Save the Children