About 3000 people in 15 vulnerable coastal communities will benefit from a $37.33 million Asian Development Bank grant to boost climate resilience against rising seas and extreme weather.
Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry Tomasi Tunabuna, while providing an update to Parliament on the grant, said the funding would support coastal protection works, climate-resilient livelihoods, and improve disaster preparedness for affected communities.
“At least 50 per cent of the beneficiaries will be women, with priority given to low-income households and those headed by women,” he said.
The grant agreement, signed on March 23, 2026, is supported by ADB climate adaptation financing and co-financing arrangements aimed at strengthening long-term coastal resilience.
He said the project was developed following detailed feasibility studies between 2024 and 2025, alongside extensive community consultations to ensure local participation in planning and design.
“This bottom-up approach has ensured that the solutions taken forward are grounded in the lived experiences of the people they aim to protect.”
Mr Tunabuna added that the project would focus on mangrove restoration and coastal protection, climate-resilient livelihood support, and strengthening institutional capacity for coastal management.
Phase 1 begins in June 2026 across five villages — Veivatuloa in Namosi, Nadogoloa and Namarai Village in Ra, and Vanuavou and Kanakana Village in Vanualevu, with Phase 2 to follow from 2027 to 2032 in 10 sites yet to be finalised.
“Once the project consultants have been fully appointed and are in place, communities will begin to witness clear underground progress throughout the five-year implementation period.”
