Fijian Farmers Use Traditional Signs to Predict Cyclones

Farmers in Fiji monitor wild yam vines in July to predict cyclones. If the vines creep along the ground, a cyclone is expected between November and April, according to farmer Marika Radua. If the vines grow upwards, a cyclone is unlikely, he stated.

Radua's farm on Vanua Levu includes crops like lettuce, taro, and cassava. He uses traditional ecological knowledge to decide when and where to plant. This knowledge includes observing bananas, bees, and breadfruit as indicators of extreme weather.

The Fijian Meteorological Service stated in 2024 that it would combine traditional environmental knowledge with scientific methods. This approach follows similar efforts in Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Niue, and the Solomon Islands. Siosinamele Lui, climate traditional knowledge officer at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, said natural indicators help remote communities prepare for weather events.

Since 2016, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme has researched these indicators through reports from islanders via calls, messages, social media, and local centers. Vanuatu developed an app called ClimateWatch for crowd-sourcing data, such as green turtles nesting further inland indicating an approaching cyclone.

Lui noted that integrating this data requires long-term monitoring to correlate with weather events.

equipment is limited in the Pacific due to the region's vast ocean and numerous islands, leading to data gaps, Lui stated. Traditional knowledge provides an alternative for areas without technology. The goal is to ensure communities receive warnings and prepare, regardless of the source.

Radua, a climate resilience expert on Vanua Levu, compiled a seasonal calendar based on traditional knowledge passed through stories, songs, dances, and idioms. He teaches farmers to use diverse planting methods to observe natural signs, such as unusual flowering patterns.

This practice supports preparedness, he said.

and Future Outlook Cyclone Winston

in 2016 damaged Fiji's agricultural sector, costing over $2 million. A 2025 report ranked Fiji 103 out of 190 countries for climate risk, noting expected increases in cyclone severity. Pacific Island countries require about $1 billion for climate adaptation, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Some Fijian communities reported traditional signs as the first alerts for Cyclone Winston, up to four months in advance. A 2025 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development documented observations in Tailevu, including hornets nesting low, unusual breadfruit growth, and curled plantain shoots.

Other signs included warmer seas, dead fish on shores, and seabirds flying low a week before the cyclone.