Press Release Detail

Villages in the maritime areas, including the province of Lomaiviti, can now experience a sense of business entrepreneurship through their forest produce, like pine.
This is made possible through the Government’s continuous investment of millions of dollars supporting pine schemes around the country.
Prime Minister and Minister for Forestry Honourable Voreqe Bainimarama addressed this at the Lomaiviti Provincial Council meeting at Nasova in Ovalau earlier this week. 
He told the meeting that the Government has supported pine schemes throughout the country through a grant to Fiji Pine Trust for the extension of privately owned plantations and community forestry programmes.
“We put more than words behind our commitment to this community resource –– we make major investments. Since 2014, we’ve supported the Pine Schemes through a grant to Fiji Pine Trust for the extension of privately owned plantation and community forestry programmes,” Mr Bainimarama said. 
“In addition, we’ve provided capital funding of half a million dollars annually from 2016 to-date, with a total of $3 Million to assist the maritime islands, including the Lomaiviti Province, to harvest and process their matured pine plantations.
“In addition, we have connected the Narocake Pine Scheme to a market in Suva, to which they are supplying timber as we speak,” Mr Bainimarama added.
Lomaiviti Pine Scheme is one of 49 schemes under the Fiji Pine Trust. Under the Lomaiviti Pine Scheme falls the Narocake Pine Scheme in Gau, which includes Lovu, Vadravadra and Yadua villages, and the Lamiti and Moturiki Schemes. Collectively, the schemes have a pine forest spread across 485 hectares of land.

Improving living standards
Since 2017, the Government has assisted the Narocake Pine Scheme with harvesting a portion of their plantation to generate sawlogs, posts and poles valued at approximately $100,000.
Mr Bainimarama said in partnership with the Fiji Pine Trust, the Ministry of Forestry had helped construct 46 houses with a total value of $152,915.
In Fiji, community-based forest plantation was initiated by Government for maritime areas to make use of the ‘talasiga’ landscape and supply timber, mostly for the construction of homes. The pine resource owners in the maritime islands can improve their living standard in the provision of sawn timber to improve their housing needs through renovations or building new houses. 
“This has helped improve living standards and even lift Fijians out of poverty. And it has helped make communities more resilient. We’ve completed house framing for 55 houses in Moturiki, five houses in Bureta and 49 houses in Koro,” the Prime Minister said. 
In the financial year from August 2019 to July 2020, the Government purchased a seven-tonne truck, a post peeler, and a 4x4 vehicle for the Narocake Pine Scheme at a total cost of $400,000. 
However, in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Harold in April 2020, these vehicles were deployed to communities impacted by the storm, and was later used during the COVID-19 vaccination drive and services.
The Prime Minister officially handed over the vehicles and thanked the province and its people for their patience.
“In the aftermath of TC Harold, we made the call to first deploy these vehicles to communities impacted by the storm. We then dispatched them to aid our national COVID-19 vaccination drive and deliver root crops and vegetables across containment areas borders to reach markets. Now, they are here to serve you,” Mr Bainimarama said. 
The Government also constructed a timber treatment plant in Narocake at a total cost of $50,000.

Tree-planting and Carbon trading
Fiji’s national tree-planting initiative is gaining traction. 
Mr Bainimarama told the meeting that the Ministry is preparing to plant more trees in the province as part of Fiji's 30 million trees in 15 years planting target.
He acknowledged the commitment of communities and landowners by announcing the establishment of 21 nurseries in the province of Lomaiviti, which would provide a regular supply of seedlings for the forest restoration operations.
“I also acknowledge your efforts so far to build homes on the island, and I am proud to see that you will be dedicating portions of the plantation to carbon trading –– a sector we are unlocking through our Climate Change Act. So, rather than cutting down forests to keep people employed, people will be paid to maintain and expand forests as carbon sinks in recognition of the service they provide to the planet and all of humanity,” he said. 
The Prime Minister stated that his team was preparing to do another ground survey to determine the current stock of pine in order to help them plan their next steps.
“New trees do more than keep the landscape beautiful –– they prevent soil erosion, preserve ecosystems, and actually absorb emitted carbon –– which is the root cause of climate change. We look forward to working with you all in restoring your island landscape - a win for your province and the planet,” Mr Bainimarama said.