3,500 villagers in Ra and Tailevu to benefit from $4.8M Community Based Integrated Natural Resource Management Project

About 3,500 people from 17 villages or 21 land-owning units in Dawasamu and Namena in Tailevu and Nakorotobu in Ra are expected to benefit from the Community Based Integrated Natural Resource Management that is being undertaken to reduce land degradation, enhance carbon stock and strengthen livelihood in Ra and Tailevu.

This has been confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad while responding to a question by Assistant Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Alitia Bainivalu on an update on the Operational Partners’ Agreement for Global Environment Facility for Community Based Integrated Natural Resource Management.

He says the Operational Partners’ Agreement has been signed with the FAO, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs.

Professor Prasad has confirmed that about $4.8 million has been allocated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the project to promote community-based integrated natural resource management at the landscape level.

He says of the total allocation, $3.7 million will be with the Ministry while the remaining amount will be with the FAO to cover costs relating to the project.

He says the management project centres on the provinces of Ra and Tailevu where the focus is to address the rate of deforestation across the Nakauvadra, Tomaniivi and Wabu forest reserves and towards the lowlands of Tailevu, including mangrove zones.