Grant deal signed for initiative
THE development arm of the people of Navakavu, in the district of Suva and the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) recently entered into a grant agreement to establish a Blue Economic Zone – a sustainable development strategy aligned to the Blue Economy, SDGs and the Government of Fiji’s Development Plan of 2017 – 2021.
According to a statement from the project’s lead consultants – Blue Horizon Property Group – the final memorandum of agreement was signed and launched in April, 2021.
It explained that the Navakavu Blue Economic Zone, which stemmed out of the Navakavu Revitalization Strategy 2018 – 2022 (NRS) sought to promote economic growth, social inclusion, and the preservation or improvement of livelihoods, while at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability of the oceans and coastal areas.
According to the lead consultants, the initiative, at its core, will challenge socioeconomic development through oceans-related sectors and activities from environmental and ecosystems degradation.
It said a significant challenge for the “Blue Economy” in Small Island Developing States would be that the sustainable management of ocean resources required collaboration across sections of Government and across the public and private sectors, and on a scale that had not been previously achieved.
Therefore the UNDPGEF SGP funding will assist the Navakavu Development Trust in launching the draft Navakavu “Master Plan” and initiate extensive consultations with landowners, surrounding communities, government, private sector, NGO’, development agencies, regional organisations and Government statutory organisations to provide input and feedback on how the create a sustainable development action plan for the next 50 years.
According to the project consultants use of the funding is planned through the following projects:
1. Navakavu 500, a project to develop 500 climatesmart housing to assist vulnerable informal settlements to relocate from their oceanfront locations to proper housing.
2. Protection of their ocean resources, flora and fauna. Especially the Navakavu Marine Protected Area, a demarcated zone in their ocean being the longest managed marine protected area in Fiji for the past 23 years.
3. A new medical centre.
4. Renewable Energy initiative to reduce 100 per cent reliance on fossil fuel.
5. Climate-smart waste management systems to ensure a sustainable clean ocean is achieved.
The implementing partners of Fiji’s Navakavu Blue Economic Zone, are Yavusa Navakavu Development Trust with the Itaukei Land Trust Board for technical support.