The government has donated a pair of bullocks, timber treatment chemicals and fuel to Tiliva village in Kadavu as part of stepped-up support for forestry-based livelihoods in maritime communities. Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu officiated the handover and broke ground for a new housing development during an outreach visit to Tiliva in Nakasaleka, officials said on Monday.
The bullocks are intended to strengthen the village’s forestry operations by improving the movement of harvested timber and reducing manual labour for villagers who rely on forestry income. The package of assistance also included timber treatment chemicals and fuel to support onsite processing and transport, complementing the community’s existing portable sawmill and other locally run timber enterprises.
Tiliva’s forestry story stretches back almost five decades. What began as 20 hectares of pine has evolved into what government officials describe as a model of sustainable forest management, built on generations of planting, harvesting and replanting. The village now processes timber locally and has used its pine to reconstruct 15 homes, build a student dormitory and erect a residence for the Talatala, demonstrating direct links between forest resources and housing outcomes.
Despite damage from previous cyclones, Tiliva has continued to reinvest in its forest estate and expand community infrastructure. During the minister’s visit she also broke ground for an additional housing development, with villagers already planning further home construction and a proposed village supermarket to broaden local economic activity. Officials say these projects illustrate how modest, targeted government assistance can amplify the impact of solesolevaki—the traditional communal labour and cooperation—within rural development.
The timing of the outreach comes ahead of International Day of Forests 2026, which will be observed on March 20 at Namalata Central School under the theme “Forests and Economies.” The government has framed Tiliva as an example of that theme in practice: demonstrating how sustainable forestry practices can underpin local economies and generate tangible community assets over the long term.
By supplying draft animals and inputs rather than only cash or technical advice, the government’s latest support aims to address immediate logistical bottlenecks faced by remote communities. Officials say Tiliva’s combination of collective effort and targeted external support offers a replicable model for other maritime and rural villages seeking to turn forest resources into durable social and economic benefits.
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