A Training of Trainers Workshop on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and the Integrated Risk-Informed Planning Tool is underway in Auki, Malaita Province, for the eight Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction Officers (CCARROs). The eighteen Provincial Engineers attended only the first week from 16th to 20th and continues on with Bridge and Jetty Design, Specifications, and Coastal Protection Engineering Training in Honiara.
With support from the World Bank’s Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience (IEDCR) Project and UNCDF Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility, this workshop aims to strengthen the technical capacity of Provincial and IEDCR officers in climate- and disaster-resilient development planning at the community and ward levels. Participants will deepen their understanding and application of the Integrated Risk-Informed Planning (IRIP) tool to promote evidence-based development. Additionally, officers will gain insights into Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) to enhance community preparedness and response, and develop foundational GIS skills for spatial analysis, hazard mapping, and data-driven decision-making.
In his opening remarks at the workshop on Monday, 16th of June 2025, Deputy Premier of Malaita Province, Hon. Randol Sifoni, emphasized the critical importance of the initiative in light of the growing challenges posed by climate change and increasing development pressures. He stressed the urgency of adopting evidence-based, spatially aware, and risk-informed planning to support community resilience.
“Our ability to understand, interpret, and apply data in decision-making will directly influence the well-being of our people and the sustainability of our environment,” he stated.
Deputy Premier, Hon. Sifoni underscored that the workshop aims not only to build individual capacity but also to empower a network of local trainers and champions who can carry this knowledge back to their provinces and embed it into daily planning and service delivery. He encouraged participants to fully engage—ask questions, share experiences, and connect with one another—emphasizing that their commitment to this process will be instrumental in shaping the future of risk-resilient development across the islands.
Mr. Malachi Batee, Chief Resilience Officer, for Human Settlement in the Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), provided an overview of national policies guiding resilience-building efforts in the Solomon Islands.
He explained that the Climate Change Division aligns its initiatives with Objective 4 of the National Development Strategy and Objective 13 of the Medium-Term Development Strategy, both of which prioritize strengthening the nation’s resilience. Mr. Batee underscored the vital role of the participating officers, describing them as key actors in mitigating climate risks, and emphasized the importance of the workshop in building their technical capacity.
“In line with our mandate, we focus on risk-informed and evidence-based development planning. Every one of us plays a crucial role in this effort, and this intensive training will empower us to integrate community-based disaster risk management with climate change adaptation,” he stated.
The two-week training is structured in phases. The first week centred on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a critical tool for modern planning and risk assessment. Participants explored national policy frameworks, GIS concepts, coordinate systems, projections, and datasets, gaining hands-on experience in data analysis, feature creation, and household-level surveys.
In the second week, attention shifts to the Integrated Risk-Informed Planning (IRIP) Tool—a digital platform designed to transform data into actionable strategies. Officers will work through practical exercises in community risk prioritization, hazard mapping, and simulation-based learning, culminating in a dedicated field-testing day.
The workshop is led by officers from MECDM, bringing in-depth expertise to support capacity-building at the provincial and community levels. The MECDM facilitators are: Mr Malachi Batee, Marlchom Zion Row, Edward Kiva, Darwin Kilua, Branson Pitakia, and Ms Melissa Horokou.
A team from the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) which include IEDCR Project Manager Momodou Lamin Sawaneh, IT Specialist Thomas Bryan Uimarairi, Accountant and Logistics Officer Ben Junior La’agonilamo, Environment and Social Risk Officer, Edward Danitofea, Chief Infrastructure Officer, Sylvester Tiki and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr. Willy Jeffery represented MPGIS in the training and providing support to the facilitators.
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