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Land Use in Vanuatu

Content

Pre-European Contact:

Prior to European contact, Vanuatu was home to a mosaic of indigenous communities of Lapita, Melanesian and Polynesian origins that engaged in subsistence agriculture, cultivating staple crops such as yams, taro, and bananas. Land was commonly managed collectively, fostering sustainability and community cohesion.

European Contact and Colonial Period:

European explorers of the 18th century initiated a new phase in Vanuatu's land use history. Britain and France, established colonial rule over the archipelago, significantly altering indigenous land use practices. Indigenous lands were often expropriated, deforested, and forced labour introduced for plantations, primarily cultivating crops like coconuts and cacao.

Post-Independence Era:

Vanuatu achieved independence from British and French colonial rule in 1980, marking a significant transformation in land use practices. The government prioritized land reform, reaffirming customary land tenure systems and the protection of indigenous land rights through the Land Reform Act of 1980.

Contemporary Land Use:

Subsistence agriculture remains a fundamental aspect of life, with the cultivation of traditional staple crops alongside cash crops like kava, which has emerged as a vital export. Customary land tenure systems persist, ensuring that indigenous communities maintain control over their ancestral territories.

 

Some Further Reading

Partners and funders
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Global Soil Partnership Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research