El Niño puts growing pressure on rural farmers and water supplies

September 21, 2026 10:43 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Terence Malapa.

El Niño is putting more pressure on farmers, livestock owners and rural families in Vanuatu as the country continues through the dry season.

Water is becoming a major concern for communities in rural Efate, including Etas, Teouma Plateau and Teouma Bush.

Many families and farmers depend on rainwater tanks for their homes, gardens and animals. But with little or no rain, water levels in many tanks are slowly going down.

Farmers are now having to find different ways to manage their water supplies.

Some families are travelling to rivers to collect water, while others are travelling to Port Vila to get water from relatives.

The Vanuatu Daily Post visited the rural areas and spoke with a number of farmers about the situation.

Farmers said they are carefully using the water they have left to keep their vegetables and other crops alive.

Some are also looking at ways to collect and store more water before their tanks become empty.

The dry conditions are also affecting livestock.

Farmers keeping chickens and other animals need a regular supply of water. When water becomes difficult to find, it creates extra work and costs for families.

One farmer in Teouma said water now has to be shared carefully between the household, crops and livestock.

The farmer said the large water tanks that normally provide water during the dry season are slowly becoming empty, while the lack of rain makes it difficult to refill them.

Vegetables are also being affected by the dry conditions. Farmers said strong sunshine, wind and high evaporation are making it harder to keep crops properly watered.

For families living further into the rural areas, getting water can mean travelling long distances.

This adds transport costs and takes time away from farming and other daily activities.

The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) has already warned communities about the El Niño conditions and the need to manage water carefully.

The current situation shows that El Niño is not only a concern for agriculture.

It is also affecting livestock, household water supplies and the daily lives of rural families.

Vanuatu depends heavily on agriculture for food and income.

If dry conditions continue for a long period, farmers could face lower production and greater difficulty maintaining their gardens and animals.

For farmers in Teouma Plateau and other areas, water is now one of the most important resources on the farm.

As the dry season continues, farmers are looking at bigger water storage tanks, better water collection and other ways to save water.

For rural families, the message is simple: every drop of water matters during El Niño.