The government has confirmed significant progress on the forthcoming launch of the USD 13.5 million Revitalizing Ecosystems for Sustainable Agriculture and Resilience Project (RESAR). Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Mosese Bulitavu, announced in Parliament that this initiative is being developed under Fiji’s Global Environment Facility (GEF) System for Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR) plan and will receive support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The project combines USD 8.2 million in grant funding from the GEF with a USD 5.3 million concessional loan from IFAD, which will provide governance and technical assistance. RESAR aims to restore degraded ecosystems, enhance land use practices, and bolster climate resilience in rural communities.
Key activities planned under RESAR include the restoration of over 3,000 hectares of degraded lands, promoting sustainable land management over an area of 150,000 hectares, and rehabilitating marine regions in specific coastal communities. The primary focus will be in Vanua Levu, encompassing the districts of Bua, Cakaudrove, and Macuata, with the project set to benefit more than 26,000 residents.
A design mission was successfully completed in the middle of the year, which was followed by community consultations and validation workshops. The final design report is currently undergoing quality review by IFAD and is set to be submitted to the GEF next month. Once the technical evaluation has been finalized and the financing agreement is approved by Cabinet, project implementation is expected to commence in January 2027.
This initiative represents a hopeful stride toward sustainable agriculture and environmental restoration in Fiji, reflecting the government’s commitment to fostering resilience against climate change while improving the livelihoods of rural communities.
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