Local pro-environment organisation NatureFiji- MareqetiViti is preparing to work with the Duavata Sustainable Tourism Collective to conserve and revitalise Fijians’ links to nature.
And to boost the effort, the United States government gave $85,000 to the NGO recently. NatureFiji-MareqetiViti director Nunia Thomas said the new partnership would allow them to highlight Fiji’s unique flora and fauna.
“This project gives us an opportunity to highlight the uniqueness of this biodiversity, and also for a design of tourism that promotes the unique biodiversity without causing damage to it,” she said.
Ms Thomas said the project included committee involvement where they could share the traditional knowledge about plants and animals.
“This project will help us highlight to the people of Fiji how they can reconnect with nature through tourism operators.” She said the NGO aimed to sustain and improve the quality of sago delivered to resorts.
Ms Thomas said the collaboration project would help bridge the gap and answer questions on the good quality of sago which could be supplied to the resorts.
“We will be training the harvesters so that they are harvesting the right, matured leaves which the resorts will receive.”
From 2007 NatureFiji- MareqetiViti has been working in collaboration with the Fisheries Ministry, Environment Ministry, local committees and tourism operators to improve the harvesting of sago without endangering it.
The organisation received $85,000 from United states ambassador Joseph Cella to support the development of income generating opportunities in key biodiversity areas while positioning the businesses to be market ready when tourists return to Fiji.
Mr Cella recently announced $330,000 in funding to fi ve benefi ciaries of the US embassy’s Economic Resilience Grants.
