Fiji’s Developing El Niño Drought: From Emergency Response to National Water and Food Security

This CDD policy paper examines the developing El Niño drought in Fiji and its implications for public water supply, agriculture, household food security and fiscal resilience. Drawing on official reporting and other available evidence up to 4 November 2026, the paper notes that 19 of 44 monitored Water Authority of Fiji sources were at critical levels as at 1 November, with seven more approaching critical levels and approximately 24,600 people experiencing intermittent supply or relying on water carting. It considers reported crop and livestock losses and the risks to livelihoods and food prices, while distinguishing verified impacts from conditional projections. The paper recommends an adequately financed national drought response framework; priority protection of safe household water; emergency livestock and viable-crop support; food-price monitoring and targeted household assistance; transparent financing and weekly public reporting. It also proposes medium- and long-term investments in distributed farm water storage, sustainable groundwater management, leakage reduction and anticipatory financing. An implementation matrix identifies responsibilities, deliverables and timeframes.