LAND DEGRADATION IN SAMOA
PACNEWS JUL 28, 2000
APIA(Pacnews):Land degradation is not so much a problem in Samoa.
However a non-government organisation representative based in
Samoa, Dr Walter Vermuellen said , there is evidence of land
degradation emerging in specific areas such as the watershed and
catchment areas in the capital, Apia and on the island of
Savai'i..
Dr Vermuellen said inappropriate land use and agricultural
activities are contributing to deforestation in Samoa with the
latter being the foremost cause of deforestation.
At a workshop on Climate change for Small Island States in Apia,
Dr Vermuellen said there are several constraints to combat the
effectiveness of deforestation.
One of the constraints is the lack of land use, population and
water policies in Samoa .
The other Dr Vermuellen said, is insufficient staff to enforce
existing policies.
Culture, he adds is another hinderance because people are not
keen to take a confrontational approach on contentious issues.
Dr Vermuellen presented a paper on of land degradation in Samoa
at the 2nd Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) workshop on
Climate Change Negotiations, Management and Strategy in the
capital, Apia.
The two-week workshop is being attended by about 100 delegates
from Small Island States in the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian
Ocean.
AOSIS was established in 1990 and has 43 member states.
Dr Vermuellen told the AOSIS workshop that another problem is the
lack of effective dialogue between government institutions and
villages.
He said that the government alone cannot control further land
degradation.
It involves everyone, he said.
Dr Vermuellen emphasised the need for the government to collect
hard data and present it to the public in a user friendly way.
On the Caribbean perspective of capacity development needs,
Barbados delegate, Rawleston Moore said there is a lack of well
articulated policies.
Mr Moore said environment ministers tended to be more reactive
than pro-active, taking action only when there is a disaster.
He also spoke of a lack of human resources, finances and
awareness amongst the general public and ministeries and
communication.
Mr Moore said, there is a lack of access to meteorological data
and research equipment for monitoring Climate Change in Barbados.
He said the way forward is for more government and foreign
funding as well as strengthening institutions and the legal
framework.
Mr Moore also said there is a need to improve access to training
and data information.
That data information, he says can be shared, harmonised and the
gaps identified so that they can be used effectively.
SOURCE: Pacnews
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