Villages from the Rewa and Tailevu deltas were overwhelmed by the $170,000 worth of equipment given by the Ministry of Forestry and Fisheries to their forestry small, micro, and medium enterprises, through the Forest Subsidy Program.
Minister of Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu says this help was intended to boost their businesses and contribute to the well-being of their families.
She says the program was initiated in 2015 and was primarily established to assist forest resource owners in sustainably managing their timber resources for economic gain.
Bainivalu says the program was initially allocated a budget of $50,000 when it was launched in 2015.
The Minister says the budget for the 2023–2024 fiscal year saw a significant increase to $200,000, reflecting the government’s strong commitment to supporting forest-based MSMEs and empowering resource owners.
Bainivalu says its key objective is to promote the establishment of wood and non-wood-based businesses with a special focus on rural communities.
She stresses that this initiative embodies their shared commitment to sustainable development and the well-being of their people and natural resources.
Furthermore, the official handover of the cooperative materials and, specifically, the 60,000 potting bags is a direct and tangible expression of our support towards enhancing alternative livelihoods and the indispensable work of mangrove restoration, destined to nurture countless mangrove seedlings by the close of the current financial year.
She adds that the effort is crucial in directing support to the Reforestation Degraded and Forest project and contributes to the ambitious target of producing 60,000 pots of mangrove seedlings for the next budget year 2025-2026.
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