Fiji Deepens Collaboration with FAO to Advance Forestry at SIDS Solutions Forum
Nadi- The Minister for Lands and
Mineral Resources, Hon. Filimoni Vosarogo, acting in his capacity as the Acting
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, represented the Ministry of Forestry at a
significant bilateral meeting during the SIDS (Small Island Developing States)
Solutions Forum 2024 in Nadi yesterday.
The bilateral meeting was led by the Prime Minister Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka, with key participation from the Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Mr. QU Dongyu.
This SIDS Solutions Forum 2024 is a high-level gathering, held from November 5 to 8, brings together Pacific Island nations to discuss innovative approaches to food production, distribution, and consumption in the region.
During the discussions, Hon. Vosarogo expressed Fiji’s deep appreciation for FAO’s enduring support in the Pacific region, especially through projects in Fiji that aim to bolster sustainable forestry and fisheries practices.
He also acknowledged FAO’s crucial role in launching and sustaining several projects in Fiji and emphasized the need for these initiatives to continue, highlighting areas of priority and recommending further support for Fiji’s forestry and fisheries sectors.
Over the years, FAO has supported several initiatives through the Ministry of Forestry, focusing on sustainable forest management, policy development and ecosystem restoration.
Among recent projects, the Ministry of Forestry held the “National Forest Monitoring System Country-Led Planning Workshop” from May 28 to 29, 2024, in Suva. Supported by the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI), this workshop marked a critical step toward institutionalizing a national forest monitoring system as a core governmental function, ensuring a data-driven approach to forest management.
Earlier this year, Fiji also signed a Technical Cooperation Programme Agreement with the FAO to help develop a National Policy Framework on planted forests. This policy aims to clearly define the role of plantation forests within the broader scope of the 2007 Fiji Forest Policy, which already outlines the significance of natural forests.
FAO’s commitment to forest landscape restoration has also been a key area of collaboration. In February 2021, under the International Climate Initiative (IKI) Project, FAO signed an agreement to restore degraded forest landscapes in Malolo, Nadroga Province. This project, which partners with government agencies and civil society organizations including the Mamanuca Environment Society and Vinaka Fiji, focuses on reviving forests in four villages, benefiting both local ecosystems and community livelihoods.
The SIDS Solutions Forum provided an essential platform for Fiji and other Pacific nations to share experiences and showcase scalable solutions for sustainable development.
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