GTM Fiji

Building capacities & enhancing ERP community awareness to strengthen REDD+ knowledge of 14 targeted CSOs and local communities ERP Sites & two Island minority communities

Executing Agency: Grace Trifam Ministry (GTM)

Implemented by GTM (Grace Trifam Ministry) from November 16, 2022 to February 25, 2023, the overall objective of the sub-project was to enhance the knowledge and capacity of targeted local communities on REDD+, ERP, and BSP. Activities were implemented in 16 districts of Fiji. The choice of these identified rural communities have been done with prior GTM discussion with the divisional planning offices of the Northern, Central and Western divisions and GTM’s field knowledge and experience from the needs out there, which had been strongly supported by the Roko Tui’s Office via their Conservation Officers.

Capacity building of LCs and CSOs

GTM worked in close coordination with the Fiji ERP team and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, and carried out community-level trainings, divisional and national level REDD+ and environmental stewardship dialogues, and women empowerment workshop with provision of rocket stoves to the poor and marginalized community women members. The capacity building activities involved the use of traditional/ indigenous approaches, such as the Talanoa sessions to share perspectives on REDD+ and ERP, and traditional/indigenous terminology meaning ecological restoration such as “Vakabulavanua” equating with REDD+. The face-to-face Talanoa sessions involving representatives from CSOs, LCs and national ERP team promoted open discussion among them, benefitting the LCs with knowledge and information on ERP and BSP.

Meetings with the national REDD+ decision making entities

GTM organized five meetings with the federal government. It carried out three preparatory consultation and logistic planning meetings, each with the Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs (Indigenous People), and Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, and two progress update sharing meetings with the REDD+ Unit and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Forestry.