The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has called on farmers to prepare their gardens and property for Vanuatu’s cyclone season which is due to start in November.

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Technical Officer, Peter Qwari, says with only a month to the start of the cyclone season, farmers should lop large branches and cut down big trees near gardens and farm houses so they will not fall and cause damage to gardens and property.

“Farmers should also properly nail down farmhouse shutters to ensure their families will be safe if there is a cyclone,” Mr Qwari said.

“The branches of manioc plants, bananas, island cabbage and other local root crops should also be trimmed down and stored in a safe place to prevent cyclone damage.”

Mr Qwari says the heavy rain falls Vanuatu will receive will affect crops because of the large amount of water that will get into soils.

He says farmers should move crops, particularly leafy vegetables, from areas that are prone to water logging to higher ground to prevent being flooded or attacked by caterpillars and rot.

He says if farmers can make some of these preparations now they will be able to reduce the impacts of cyclones on their food production.