Peceli Naviticoko 
file photo
The BIODEF 2030 Phase 2 Territorial/Provincial Workshop currently underway in Labasa has brought together stakeholders from coastal fisheries, agriculture, and government ministries to design tangible projects supporting Fiji’s biodiversity commitments.
Speaking at the workshop, Vinay Singh, the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Programme Coordinator at IUCN, stressed the importance of co-creating and co-designing initiatives with grassroots communities, who are at the frontline of climate impacts.
He says that the workshop links directly to Fiji’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which contributes to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework..
“This is not a top-down approach. We have to work in harmony with communities from the ground using a bottom-up process to create holistic solutions that benefit national, provincial, and local levels,”
Singh highlighted that while Fiji may be small, it is home to some of the world’s most unique biodiversity, with communities acting as custodians of more than 90 percent of land and natural resources.
The workshop, which includes ministries such as Forestry, Fisheries, iTaukei Affairs, Climate Change, and Finance, is expected to produce bankable co-designed projects that align Fiji’s biodiversity goals with community aspirations.
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