The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the World Wildlife Fund-Guianas today announced a landmark agreement with the signing of a GYD 118-million-dollar contract for a project, ‘Promoting Economically Viable and Sustainable Forestry Livelihoods in Regions 2 and 10’.
This project marks the first major action taken under the four-year (2023 – 2027) European Union (EU)- funded “Sustainable Forest Livelihoods for Communities in Guyana and Suriname” (SFL) programme, which is coordinated by the Agence Française de Devéloppement (AFD) and implemented by WWF-Guianas.
Launched at a ceremony at the GFC Multiplex building, the project is expected to significantly contribute to Guyana's commitment to maintaining healthy forests, environmental stewardship, and sustainable economic development.
With this multi-million grant signed with WWF, GFC will lead the execution of several activities to benefit, both directly and indirectly, 27 Community Forest Organisations and communities in Regions 2 and 10. The activities will encompass community-based forestry management programs, technical training for local foresters and provision of equipment for value-added production. Additionally, following up on a commitment announced by all parties on World Forest Day 2024, this grant will finance upgrades to the Yarrowkabra Training Centre. These efforts ensure that forest resources contribute to the nation's economy without compromising their ecological integrity.
This project is of significant national and sub-regional importance as it aims to generate valuable insights and best practices among forest-based communities that can be scaled and replicated across the regions and country. The SFL programme focuses on implementing sustainable forestry practices to protect biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and support community economies.
The signing ceremony was graced by the EU Ambassador, Mr René Van Nes, Mr Jean-Jacques Forte, French Attaché to Guyana, and Mr Joslyn McKenzie, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources, who emphasized the Ministry’s unwavering support for sustainable development initiatives in the local forestry sector.
Making brief remarks, EU Ambassador, Mr René Van Nes, underscored the importance of international support in tackling environmental challenges, highlighting that the SFL programme “takes an integrated approach to address these challenges by strengthening the capacity of indigenous and local communities to manage their landscapes sustainably, developing nature-based livelihoods, and establishing financial mechanisms for conservation”.
In her remarks, WWF-Guianas' conservation director, Ms Aiesha Willimas, highlighted that “WWF and GFC have enjoyed a decades-long partnership, and through this support from the EU, we can continue to strengthen our work under the SFL programme, where we will focus on important value chains in the forestry sector, such as timber and agroforestry.”
Through an inclusive approach, the partnership between GFC and WWF aims to ensure that the benefits of sustainable forestry are shared equitably among all Guyanese.
This project marks the first major action taken under the four-year (2023 – 2027) European Union (EU)- funded “Sustainable Forest Livelihoods for Communities in Guyana and Suriname” (SFL) programme, which is coordinated by the Agence Française de Devéloppement (AFD) and implemented by WWF-Guianas.
Launched at a ceremony at the GFC Multiplex building, the project is expected to significantly contribute to Guyana's commitment to maintaining healthy forests, environmental stewardship, and sustainable economic development.
With this multi-million grant signed with WWF, GFC will lead the execution of several activities to benefit, both directly and indirectly, 27 Community Forest Organisations and communities in Regions 2 and 10. The activities will encompass community-based forestry management programs, technical training for local foresters and provision of equipment for value-added production. Additionally, following up on a commitment announced by all parties on World Forest Day 2024, this grant will finance upgrades to the Yarrowkabra Training Centre. These efforts ensure that forest resources contribute to the nation's economy without compromising their ecological integrity.
This project is of significant national and sub-regional importance as it aims to generate valuable insights and best practices among forest-based communities that can be scaled and replicated across the regions and country. The SFL programme focuses on implementing sustainable forestry practices to protect biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and support community economies.
The signing ceremony was graced by the EU Ambassador, Mr René Van Nes, Mr Jean-Jacques Forte, French Attaché to Guyana, and Mr Joslyn McKenzie, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources, who emphasized the Ministry’s unwavering support for sustainable development initiatives in the local forestry sector.
Making brief remarks, EU Ambassador, Mr René Van Nes, underscored the importance of international support in tackling environmental challenges, highlighting that the SFL programme “takes an integrated approach to address these challenges by strengthening the capacity of indigenous and local communities to manage their landscapes sustainably, developing nature-based livelihoods, and establishing financial mechanisms for conservation”.
In her remarks, WWF-Guianas' conservation director, Ms Aiesha Willimas, highlighted that “WWF and GFC have enjoyed a decades-long partnership, and through this support from the EU, we can continue to strengthen our work under the SFL programme, where we will focus on important value chains in the forestry sector, such as timber and agroforestry.”
Through an inclusive approach, the partnership between GFC and WWF aims to ensure that the benefits of sustainable forestry are shared equitably among all Guyanese.
