Safeguards in REDD+ implementation in Fiji
Asia-Pacific Forestry Week
23 February 2016
Mr Eliki Senivasa
Conservator of Forests
Fiji Ministry for Fisheries and Forests

1. Social / environmental background
2. Existing safeguards
3. Work in progress
4. Pilot projects & lessons learned
5. Challenges
Outline

Fiji social / environmental background
Almost 90 % of land owned by indigenous
(iTaukei) communities
Ca 2/3 of the population lives in rural areas
56 % of Fiji is forest land (open / closed
native forest and ca 15 % plantations)
iTaukei Land Trust Board is custodian of
native land
Commercial land use requires lease
agreement

Existing safeguards
Strong protection of legal iTaukei rights in place
Boundaries and land ownership is registered
BSM (ITLTB)and GRM(NLC) are in place
National steering committee & safeguards
working group working efficiently

Work in progress
Various stakeholders develop common
frameworks, suitable for all national &
international requirements
Framework elements under development:
 FPIC guidelines
 Assessment and revision of existing BSM &
GRM systems
 SESA, ESMF & SIS under development

Emalu pilot project (since 2012)
Lessons learned for national REDD+ program
Implementation highlights:
 awareness & training
 Gender sensitive FPIC-process and
 participative land use planning
 REDD+ lease development
 Socio-economic and environmental surveys
 Alternative livelihood projects

Emalu pilot project (since 2012)
Major results influence
 National FPIC guidelines
 National land use planning guidelines
 Legal framework for REDD+ projects
 All safeguards elements and their monitoring
Project proves that REDD+ is a competitive land
use option
National development policies in various
sectors support activities to enhance
livelihoods and sustainability. These form the
portfolio of potential co-benefits / incentives

Challenges
Policy coherence with all sectors
Social inclusion of marginalised communities
Enabling Civil Society engagement
Community empowerment
Multi sectoral planning