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Samoa, like other Least Developed Countries (LDCs) inherits high vulnerability to natural disasters and to external economic and trade developments for which it has no control. These natural disasters include tropical cyclones, prolonged periods of drought, extreme flooding, pests and sudden outbreak of diseases, storm surges and sea level rise. Climate change and sea level rise are serious concerns given that 70% of Samoa’s population and infrastructure are located on low-lying coastal areas. Samoa’s economy largely depends on its natural resources, which must rely on favorable climatic conditions for growth and sustenance.

The village community expressed their support and agreed that village by-laws are necessary for Tafitoala. As expressed this will assist the village council of chiefs in managing resources and set up formal penalties for those who may/will breach the village laws. Following the initial planning workshop the MNRE (WRD) prepared a community consultation with the entire community, to undertake a situational analysis as well as gauge views of the village on what rules were necessary for the continuing sustainability of the resource. It was expected that the community consultation will provide all the baseline information of what problems were and how the village groups foresee by-laws as a means of protecting the resource from these problems.

Water is life; it is a resource, a need that is vital for everyone. Samoa’s water resources is at its crucial state. Its management has always been fragmented amongst the key stakeholders including local communities over the past years, however, recently the government through the Water Resources Division has tried to bring together the key players to identify ways for the sustainable management of water resources in Samoa. The increasing social and economic developments have led to the detrimental threat towards this valuable and limited resource. The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project (PACC) in partnership with the WRD funded the first initial workshop as an initiative in the formulation of village by laws for the village of Tafitoala. This collaboration aims to raise the awareness of the community in village by-law, its implications towards water resources management and also its essential significance as part of measures towards climate change. It also strengthens the importance of community involvement in watershed management which provides environmental services not only for their livelihoods but also increasing climate change resilience.