FAO has agreed to assist NFMV’s Fiji Sago Palm Project focusing on the Sago Landowners Association and additional soga restoration activities.
FAO through its National Forest Programme Facility and its partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community is to fund NFMVs next stage of its Fiji Sago Palm project. NFMVs project was the only project selected of the six applications from around the Pacific.
The funding will assist in the setting up of the Fiji Sago Landowners Association and assist in it taking charge of harvesting operations to ensure that they are sustainable.
NFMVs Sustainable Sago Thatch Harvesting Guidelines currently in draft form will be completed, translated into Fijian and circulated.
A Financial Analysis and Business Plan will also be prepared.
Following on from NFMV’s successful sago restoration work at Culanuku, one or more additional community restoration projects will be started and the Garrick Reserve ‘insurance population’ of Fiji Sago Palm will receive continued support as part of NFMV’s membership activities.
Fiji’s only protected population of naturally occurring sago palm is in the Navua Gorge Ramsar site where it can be viewed on the Rivers Fiji rafting trips.
SAGO SAGA DVD – available from NFMV
Anybody wanting a copy please contact us at NFMV. Available also is a brochure on the Fiji Sago Palm issue.