NANISE NEIMILA
The effects of climate change including cyclones, droughts and floods have a lasting impact on people, communities and socioeconomic development.
Yasawa village in the district of Udu, Vanua Levu is among the most exposed communities to these risks and according to village elder Waisea Marawa they are directly affected by climate change. Situated on the coast of Udu point, the village is home to 85 families that mostly rely on the sea and the land for their source of livelihood.
However, to tackle the direct and rippling effects of climate change the villagers agreed that the available option is to plant more trees for the future generations.
Mr Marawa said that the only option for the village is to plant more trees because this is the only way we can save our environment.
“We are thankful to the visiting government delegation led by the Minister for Forest Osea Naiqamu and his delegation for visiting our village and providing valuable information on how we can contribute to the Government’s insight on the 30 million trees in 15 years to save the environment. As you can see, we have been planting trees such as yasi but more needs to be done and we are grateful to the Government for supplying seedlings of fruit trees and other plants that will be useful for the future generation.
” Minister Naiqamu is on two-week tour visiting villages in Udu and Cikobia, the purpose of the trip is to create more awareness on the 30-Million-Trees-In-15-Years initiative.
This initiative builds on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development particularly the Sustainable Development Goal 15, life on land and supports the New York Declaration on Forests, which aims at ending natural forest loss globally by 2030.Minister Naiqamu while speaking to the village elders of Yasawa village encouraged them to provide the Government the opportunity to utilise idle land to plant trees. During the consultation, he reminded the villagers that the Government will provide the seedlings, build the nurseries and even so villages can sell the seedlings.
“Given the seriousness and the urgency to address climate change that is one of the reasons why the Government is visiting communities to address this problem and find solutions; and one way is to plant more trees.”
Minister Naiqamu also stressed that the Government will not lease any land but utilise the land to plant trees as part of its contribution of replanting more trees.