Villages and communities are encouraged to propagate seedlings, which can be utilised in areas that have experienced significant deforestation.
These seedlings can also serve as a source of income for farmers.
Minister for Forest Alitia Bainivalu says they are running a program within the Ministry, the Reforestation of Degraded Forest Program, where communities propagate seedlings, and the Ministry buys it from them.
She says we all know that forests and mangroves are carbon sinks.
Bainivalu says more than 10,000 trees were planted in three villages in the north, including Nukusa in Udu Point, Loa Village in Cakaudrove and Raviravi Village in Macuata.
She adds SK Innovation from South Korea donated US$75,000 to fund the project of planting mangroves in the three villages.
The Minister says the idea of this project is part of the company’s social responsibility, where these targeted sites would offset the carbon that is emitted by manufacturing companies.
