The Forestry Sector’s 2021 redirection priority policies under the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) has been shared with partner Donors, stakeholders and friends of forest at a one-day meeting, the 7th Forestry Sector Technical Working Group (FSTWG) meeting in Honiara.

FSTWG is a platform for reporting of various forest stakeholders’, donor partners and friends of forest activities simultaneously executed through single and various collaborations.

It also presents another opportunity to strengthen collaborations with broader base applications of the principle of sustainable management of forest resources across the country through various undertakings.

Thanks to the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) Sustainable Forest Resource Management (SFRM) Project with the Ministry of Forestry and Research for creating such avenue and progressively enabling the flatform through continuous financial support.

Forestry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Vaeno Vigulu says despite the downside of
COVID 19 that the country is currently facing with health risk, the government had to put in place measures to combat it but also needs to keep our economy afloat at the same time.

In that regard, the Ministry of Forestry and Research (MoFR) has two mandated
redirection policies, he says. 

“The redirection priority policies of DCGA for 2021 encompassed promotion of
downstream processing activities and sustainable development of logging programme to ensure and promote principles of sustainable forest management, good practice, monitoring, governance.

“Secondly, is to work on alternative forest timber and non-timber products, ecosystem services through agroforestry systems, reforestation, enrichment and regeneration management on the logged over islands degraded and deforested landscapes."

“These measures taken indicated the seriousness of the DCGA Government in reviewing and developing measures to sustainably manage the forest resources as we continue to harvest and benefit from them,” he adds.

PS Dr. Vigulu then acknowledges past years collaborations with stakeholders, donor partners and friends of forest on various strategies and activities, that helps contribute to addressing and enhancing these ongoing priority area objectives for 2020 and 2021.

Urging all that present at the 7th FSTWG meeting that it is proper that updated
information’s are shared and discussed with each other so donor partners and
stakeholders know what policy areas the Ministry implements using the government budget.

Similarly, it is also proper that you all share with us the potential supports to the
government policies or your work programme areas where we can align to mutually benefit communities and resource owners through government policies.

In doing so, your support will assist and support the government initiatives to sustain and reduce the exploitation and reliance on forest timber products with other alternatives including carbon trading, hence, promoting sustainable forest management, emphasizes the Permanent Secretary.

Dr. Vigulu reiterates that with the established platform under the FSTWG for sharing of information by all stakeholders, donor partners and friends of forest, it is expected that you all discuss and contribute in strategizing the way forward.
“By having every stakeholder in this forum today, and under this roof, allows for a quick consultation and contributions from everybody and Organisations to avoid reinventing wheels, especially in research for development, production and
added value products.

“We should be working hand in hand to enhance mandated policies, programmes and objectives to achieve anticipated outcomes.”

Those in attendance at the 7th FSTWG meeting are representatives from the forest industry, various donor organisations and school institutions, government line ministries including international and national partners.

 

Source: Press Release, Ministry of Forestry and Research