Technical Cooperation Projects

Introducing the Projects activities to the Officers of Ba.

Project Background:
The geographical location and topographical factors, the islands in the Pacific region are prone to natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions, etc. Islands been dispersed over wide areas creates an insufficient transport and telecommunications link not only between the cities and villages on but also between main islands and outlying island groups. This creates a real problem in relaying information concerning weather, earthquakes, tsunami and other disasters. In recent years there has been a growing interest in and need for community based disaster countermeasures.

The Island nation of Fiji is composed of more than 300 islands with a total land area of 18,300 km2 and population of approximately 840,000. Every year the country suffers from flooding caused by torrential rains brought about by the cyclones. In 2009 Fiji recorded the damage level from flooding at approximately FJ$112 million (approximately 5 billion yen)

The problems that the National Disaster Management Office, in-charge of issuing evacuation alerts based on the meteorological monitoring data, face that that they can not predict flooding in specific areas and rivers. More to the problem is the lack of disaster response manuals or training on how to respond to emergencies and this leads to inadequate collaboration between agencies in the event of disaster.

It was under such circumstances that the Government of Fiji issued a request to the Government of Japan pertaining to the Strengthening of Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Project in the Pacific Region. In response to this, the Government of Japan consigned JICA to implement the detailed plan formulation study from March to April 2010 to reach an agreement on the Project contents with the Government of Fiji and later signed the Record of Discussion in August 2010.

Project Period:
October 2010 till September 2013

Project Budget (Estimated):
US$3.4 million (approximately FJ$6.2 million)

Target Area:
Ba, Northwest of Viti Levu Island of Fiji.

Target Group:
National Disaster Management Office, Ministry of Provincial Development, Multi-Ethnic Affairs, National Disaster Management & Sugar; Fiji Meteorological Service, Ministry of Works, Transport and Public Utilities; Water Authority of Fiji and Community Residents in Ba.

Overall Goal of the Project:
A system in which the residents of the areas other than selected community (village or settlement) are able to evacuate appropriately is enhanced.

Project Purpose:
A system in which the residents of the selected community (village or settlement) areas are able to evacuate appropriately is established.

Expected Outputs;

1. A flood warning system is in place and appropriately managed by the agency and the target community residents understood and respond accordingly
2. National Disaster Management Office disaster management capacity is developed
3. The target community's awareness on disaster preparedness is enhanced