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The Training of Trainers (TOT) Workshop on Rainwater Harvesting took place in Vava'u, Tonga from 12-15 May 2004. Involving community extension workers from the Village Women's Development Programme (VWDP) of the Tonga Community Development Trust (TCDT), the training was based on a participatory approach that emphasised 'learning-by-doing'. Using a step-by-step process, workshop participants were introduced to various participatory tools and took part in participatory activities and exercises that they could potentially use during future training on rainwater harvesting in communities.

This report serves as to create an overview of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) progress and activities in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The overview is to form part of a submission by the GWP (Global Water Partnership) Secretariat at the forthcoming; "(i) donor meeting to mobilise and seek support for IWRM in February, 2004, and the (ii) CSD conference in New York, March, 2004".

This report summarizes some of the main concerns and issues identified in a detailed assessment of the Pacific Islands GIWA subregion. The GIWA methodology used in this assessment is reported elsewhere in this issue of Ambio. The region contains a baffling diversity of island types and corresponding terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems covering some 30 million km2 of ocean space. There is also great geographic, demographic and developmental diversity. Differences in climate, geological resources, topographical features, soil types, mineral and water availability, extent of coral reefs and diversity of terrestrial, freshwater and marine flora and fauna, are also features of the region.