Speech Detail

Hon. Tomasi Tunabuna to move – “That Parliament debates the ‘Consolidated Review Report of the Ministry of Forestry 2019–2020, 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 Annual Reports’ which was tabled on 12 July 2024.” (Parliamentary Paper No. 54 of 2024).

Good morning, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka,

Honourable Speaker Sir, I rise to present on the consolidated review report of the Ministry of Forestry for the Annual Reports of the Ministry covering the years 2019 to 2022, including the 2021-2022 Annual Report which was recently tabled last month.

The Ministry has continued to deliver on its mandate over the past three years despite the challenging circumstances that Fiji has faced, Honourable Speaker. I would like to take this time to highlight some of our important achievements – a testament to the hard work of the Ministry and its collaboration with our stakeholders and landowners.  

Honourable Speaker Sir, Firstly I would like to talk about the continuation of the 30 Million Trees in 15 Years (30MT15Y) programme, which was officially inaugurated in January 2019.  In the previous financial year of 2022-2023, a total of 4.8 million seedlings were planted. The seedlings planted include native species, pine, mahogany, teak and sandalwood as well as mangroves and fruit trees. 

Since the start of the program in January 2019, more than 19.1 million trees have been planted, including almost a million mangroves, within more than 17,200 hectares of land across Fiji. This means that we have planted more than 60% of our target before we are half way through the timeframe, or in less than 6 of the 15 years.

This tree planting initiative is part of Fiji’s green economy and recovery from the ongoing impacts of climate change and the impacts of COVID-19. Additionally Fiji’s tree planting initiative is helping the country meet its international commitments through the REDD+ initiative and the World Bank’s Emission Reduction Programme. 

Honourable Speaker Sir, through this programme we are also contributing to the reforestation of degraded forest. This is an attempt to utilize degraded forests to address broad thematic areas of need in Fiji, including carbon stock enhancement, connecting forest corridors, coastal restoration, food security, flood mitigation stabilization of riparian systems, catchment restoration, enrichment planting, community woodlots, and industrial planting.

The numbers achieved are a positive testament to the diligent work being carried out by my Ministry with the support of our communities and also our partners, Fiji Pine Limited, Fiji Pine Trust and Fiji Hardwood Corporation and the people of Fiji. 

Honorable Speaker Sir, I would also like to highlight the Ministry’s work on our Maritime Pine Schemes. The Maritime Pine Project has supported communities to develop their pine resources as well as processing timber for houses across Fiji’s maritime communities. Through investments in machines, skills training and an inventory of pine resources, the project aims to ensure the sustainable utilisation and management of maritime pine resources, generating significant value and volume of wood products and improving the livelihoods of our maritime communities. 

A new jetty for the community of Muani in Kadavu was recently inaugurated, and this will enable the transport and export of logs from the island. In the new financial year, the Ministry will aim to expand the maritime pine scheme to new locations, including Lakeba.

Honourable Speaker Sir, the Ministry has also continued to make excellent progress on Fiji’s Emission Reductions Programme. Fiji’s Emission Reduction Payment Agreement is a pledge to reduce GHG emission from within the agriculture, forest and other land use sector by 2.5 million tons (tCO2e) as its contribution to the global target of reducing global surface warming of 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial temperature under Paris Agreement. 

Our REDD+ readiness assessment was completed in 2022 and this supported the Fiji Government’s engagement in a carbon trade agreement under the Emission Reduction Payment Agreement. Our team has identified 15 different sites that could be used in the Emission Reduction Programme as well as Plantation areas. 

We have also commenced and completed our National Forest Inventory. This will help advice Policy on sustainable use of forest resources. 

Honourable Speaker Sir, I would now like to highlight the Forestry sectors’ increased contribution to the economy of Fiji. The growth of forestry related exports in particular, has been a pleasure to see. The Ministry has moved from a manual system to an online digital licencing system for exports and imports. In 2021, the Fiji Bureau of Statistics data showed that wood related exports exceeded $100 million for the first time, with the value more than doubling between 2019 and 2021. 

It is important to note that the contribution of the Forestry sector extends beyond forestry and logging itself. Including other value adding processes that the Forestry sector enables, such as different types of manufacturing, the total economic contribution of the Forestry sector is $140.4 million, equivalent to 1.4% of Fiji’s real GDP. 

Honourable Speaker Sir, The Ministry also continues to support the development of small-scale cottage industries in Fiji. This has included helping the registration of a cooperative in Sote, Gaunavou, which also received the approval from the Ministry of Trade to use the Fijian Made Brand. This cooperative manufactures beds made from mahogany for Courts Fiji.

Honourable Speaker Sir, Finally, I would like to congratulate the Ministry on unqualified audit opinions for all years in the consolidated report timeframe.

I wish to thank the people of Fiji, our partners and the Government, for their continued support in assisting my Ministry towards our goals of sustainable management of Fiji’s Forests. 

Thank you Honourable Speaker Sir.