In further complementing the management of Fiji’s biodiversity, a five-year project titled,
Safeguarding Marine and Terrestrial Biodiversity in Fiji (SAMBIO Fiji) Project, was launched by the Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Hon. Sakiusa Tubuna this morning.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the SAMBIO Fiji project is a demonstration of the collaborative effort and partnership between Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Conservation International (CI), towards the management of Fiji’s biodiversity.
The $USD7.2 million project is expected to address some key threats to Fiji’s biodiversity and also strengthen some of the economic, institutional, management, and social and biodiversity protection.
“Fiji’s biodiversity underpins ecosystem functioning and the provision of ecosystem services essential for human well-being. It provides for food security, human health, the provision of clean air and water, contributes to local livelihoods, and economic development. It is at the heart of many belief systems, cultural values and identities,” shared Hon. Tubuna.
“The SAMBIO Project will also assist the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in delivering some of its priority biodiversity targets under Fiji’s Biodiversity and Strategic plan 2020 – 2025, and align it to the Kunming – Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that was adopted by 193 countries of parties at the CBD COP 15.”
While the SAMBIO Project centers on terrestrial interventions on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, and marine interventions in selected priority maritime islands including Lau, Kadavu and the Ringgold Island, the project sites includes a critical selection of Fiji’s Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA’s) and Important Bird Areas (IBA’s) that provides significant high biodiversity and critical ecosystem services to Fiji’s rural population.
“I am optimistic that the close collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Conservation International to implement and execute the SAMBIO project will achieve transformative action towards restoring degraded ecosystems, halting biodiversity loss and mitigating impacts from climate change, the Assistant Minister asserted.
“I am also confident that the SAMBIO project would also contribute towards reversing the local trajectory that leads to biodiversity loss and threatened biodiversity in Fiji; and it will strengthen policy and financing pathways to secure ecosystem services and other benefits that secures Fiji’s island ecosystems.
“I would like to thank the CI GEF Agency Team, the CI Team in Fiji, the Ministry of Environment and Climate, and all others organisations involved for their efforts in bringing the SAMBIO Project to fruition.
“Together, we can protect Fiji’s terrestrial and marine biodiversity for current and future generations.“
The project is being implemented by Conservation International and facilitated by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
Other project partners include the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs and Birdlife International.