Mai Ma’asina Greenbelt (MMGB) is a registered community-based network initiative established in response to persistent logging activities on Malaita and with the vision to promote the preservation of nature, people, culture, and life. MMGB is already working with some 30 tribal groups in Malaita to conserve their forest resources.
Winrock has a 35-year history of building partnerships between communities, industry, and government for the pursuit of economic opportunities through natural resource conservation. It received funding from USAID to support Malaita Provincial Government and its people to protect their resources and improve livelihoods.
Predatory behaviors by logging companies and an enabling environment that has contributed to driving those behaviors have resulted in the severe degradation of forests in Malaita Province.
The partnership agreement with MMGB establishes mutually agreed tasks in areas relating to resource management in Malaita Province.
Winrock under the partnership agreement will support these MMGB activities and alternative livelihood opportunities to ensure tribes benefit and are empowered to protect forests and provide benefits to their people.
Winrock has also engaged Nakau, an international group that specializes in PES project and forest carbon feasibility assessment and development in Solomon Islands, Vanuautu, and Fiji, to ensure tribes are able to meet the key requirements for a PES scheme and associated standards.
The team from Nakau is expected to commence initial work with two tribal groups in East Fataleka in the coming weeks, to progress initial key PES required activities.
Establishing partnerships and strengthening local initiatives such as MMGB is crucial to the work of Winrock to ensure the sustainability of activities.
Strengthening Competitiveness, Agriculture and Livelihoods – Natural Resource Management (SCALE-NRM) implemented by Winrock International, initially targets Malaita and is made possible by the generous support of the American people to develop and implement sustainable models for improved natural resource governance in Malaita Province and throughout Solomon Islands.
Source. Solomon Star News.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
