BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
THE Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has supported the Ministry of Forestry and Research with a new vehicle to support the Sustainable Forest Resources Management Project.
This new vehicle is the second JIDCA has donated for the project.
Tatsuji Nishikawa, Chief Advisor /Forest Policy, Ministry of Forestry and Research, said the new vehicle will be used mainly in Malaita province.
“The new project vehicle will be used by the taskforce of the Ministry of Forestry and Research when not in use for JICA SFRM project,” Nishikawa said.
He also urged JICA SFRM project team to keep this new vehicle in service to ensure it lasts longer.
“Thank you very much to JICA for this wonderful truck. I hope the Malaita forestry officers would take care of its maintenance and upkeep,” Nishikawa said.
At the same event JICA Resident Representative, Uegaki Motoyuki said it is an honour to officially hand over the vehicle to the Ministry to accelerate the project.
“I understand this project focuses on enhancing the capacity to manage the Forest Resource not only at Ministerial level but also community level through technical cooperation so that we would see no more over extraction that causes significant forest degradation in this country,”
“I believe the Ministry and JICA project team cooperate together in order to achieve the project goal by using the vehicle,” Motoyuki said.
He added by expressing his respect to everyone who worked on and support this “Sustainable Forest Resources Management Project.”
“I am looking forward to seeing a situation where sustainable forest management system would be expanded to the whole country in the near future,” Motoyuki said.
In response Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Forestry and Research Dr Vaeno Vigulu thanked JICA for the partnership they have established.
“I on behalf of the Ministry of Forestry I thank you JICA for assisting us,” Vigulu said.
He lauded JICA for supporting his officers in terms of training opportunities provided and supported by JICA.
The Sustainable Forest Resources Management Project first two projects were piloted in Komuniboli, Guadalcanal, while the other in Falaka, Malaita.
