JAPANESE International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ministry of Forest and Research have sealed a five-year Forest Management project.

A signing ceremony took place at the Mendana Hotel yesterday between the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Forestry and Research, Mr Vaeno Vigulu, and Resident representative of JICA, Mr Kyoji Mazutani.

Mr Mazutani said the project is focusing on capacity development for sustainable forest resources management.

He adds that the project is titled, Capacity Development for Sustainable Forest Resource management in Solomon Islands.

Mr Mazutani said the Ministry and JICA have carried out numbers of activities including; survey and also consultations with stakeholders to compile the project in response to the national government’s request submission to Japanese Government in August 2015.

“As a result, both organisations come to mutual agreement that the project should focus on capacity development of MoFR so that the Ministry is able to implement sustainable forest resource management by developing policies to promote sustainable forest resource management, facilitate coordination and collaborations among MoFR and other stakeholders concerned through pilot activities with communities,” he explained.

Mr Mazutani said the project will kick off as soon as experts from Japan arrive in April this year.

He said Solomon Islands is well known for its rich forest and high forest coverage rate up to 78.1 percent and also the main sector that contributes very much to the national economic growth.

Mr Mazutani continues to say that forest resources plays a vital role in the life of rural residence and that sustainable forest resource management is a pressing need for the national economy.

But he said heavy dependence on forest resources has raised serious issues such as the rapid deforestation and degradation of forest resources.

Mr Mazutani said JICA is pleased to see the government rallying all efforts to mitigate the situation surrounding the forest sector and now concludes to intervention focusing more sustainable forest resource management.

He said JICA office will always available to provide necessary support towards the project.

In his remarks, PS Vaeno Vigulu said Solomon Islands is very fortunate to be among the countries that benefit from Japanese bilateral aid, especially in the forest sector.

He said the outcome of the project will certainly assist his ministry to develop effective forest resource management model that will boost capacity building.

Mr Vigulu said the impact of the project will transform livelihood approach giving resource owners and the industry at large a better position on harvesting forest resources.

“This intended capacity building will have huge impact on the development, management and the utilization of forest resources that will give another pathway of opportunity to the country to support in developing economy,” he said

Mr Vigulu said his Ministry is looking forward to work closely with JICA to fully execute the project.

He acknowledges the Government and People of Japan for the great assistance.