Kiribati's NDC

Food System Overview

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing represent the largest contributor to the Kiribati economy, accounting for more than a quarter of it. More than 75% of all households are engaged in some form of agricultural activity, mostly for their own subsistence.[i] Kiribati’s freshwater supply for food systems depends primarily on rainwater collection and groundwater. The freshwater supply is highly dependent on rainfall replenishment and vulnerable to saline contamination.[ii]

Impacts of climate change on food production in Kiribati include weather-related stress on water resources as well as salinisation of freshwater reserves which, in turn, reduces the quality and availability of water for food production as well as agricultural productivity. Models predict that extreme hydrological events with potential negative impacts for freshwater supply—droughts, storms, heavy rainfall—will intensify in the future.[iii]

NDC Development

Kiribati’s Enhanced NDC builds on the Kiribati Joint Implementation Plan for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management 2019-2028 (KJIP) and the NDC Roadmap and Investment Plan. The development of the KJIP and the NDC Roadmap and Investment Plan was overseen by the Kiribati National Expert Group (KNEG). The KNEG is Kiribati’s main coordination mechanism for climate change mitigation and adaptation and consists of representatives from the government (MFED, MFAI, MIA), the private sector, civil society, and faith-based organisations. Development of both documents involved engagement with stakeholders such as government ministries, faith-based organisations, local civil society organisations, and development partners. Especially the development of the KJIP included strengthening gender considerations.

Food System Measures

Measures related to food and freshwater in Kiribati’s NDC focus on building resilience and adaptive capacity. Key National Adaptation Priorities include increasing water and food security through integrated and sector-specific approaches. In this regard, the country plans to identify and promote salt-, drought-, rain-, and heat stress-resilient crops, fruits, vegetables, and livestock breads. Management of water resources should be community-based. The measures aim to make sure that communities have access to sufficient and adequate freshwater at all times including during extreme weather events such as drought, heavy rain, and storm surges.

NDC Implementation

Implementation of Kiribati’s Enhanced NDC will require robust institutional arrangements as well as support in the form of technology transfer, capacity-building, and finance. Implementation also builds on and strengthens existing mechanisms for policy implementation, financing, and monitoring by integrating climate change and disaster risk management considerations into these mechanisms.

The NDC does not specify how much (financial) support is needed for implementing its Key National Adaptation Priorities nor does it mention any specific projects or activities related to freshwater use in food systems that are already under way.

Sources

[i] Kiribati National Statistics Office. (2022). Kiribati Agriculture and Fisheries Report. Retrieved November 6, 2024, from https://nso.gov.ki/census/kiribati-agriculture-and-fisheries-report-based-on-2020-census/.

[ii] McSweeney, C. F., Jones, R. G., Lee, R. W., & Rowell, D. P. (2015). Selecting CMIP5 GCMs for downscaling over multiple regions. Climate Dynamics, 44(11), 3237–3260.

[iii] McSweeney, C. F. et al. (2015).