Agroforestry in the Climate of the Marshall Islands Website

The Agroforestry in the Climate of the Marshall Islands website provides information about seasonal and long-term changes in climate in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The website offers extension agents and community leaders general suggestions for adapting agroforestry to climate.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands has an ancient tradition of agroforestry, managing trees and food crops together. Pacific agroforestry extension agents and experienced farmers have a great depth of detailed knowledge. This project respects their “traditional ecological knowledge” and encourages younger generations and newcomers to the islands to learn directly from them.  The project only recommends significant changes to traditional practices if there is a high probability of a change in conditions, such as  drought following an El Niño, or sea level rise over time.

The Agroforestry in the Climate of the Marshall Islands website was developed by the University of Hawaiʻi with funding from the Department of Interior USGS Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center. The website is available in both Marshallese and English.

 

The Marshallese Traditional Agroforestry Calendar (above) combines climate data and traditional season designations and knowledge about the harvest times of perennial crops throughout the year. Months are displayed in Marshallese on the outer ring while inner rings show how wind and rain patterns and the harvest of two crops typically change throughout the year. The color gradients show the intensity of the harvest or the climate variable, with more intense colors representing larger amounts harvested or higher amounts of rain, etc. at various times. A web based tool offers two versions, depending on the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions.