Countries

Forestry policies, institutions and programmes

Administration
The Department of Agriculture is responsible for developing and implementing forestry programmes and activities. Kiribati does not have a separate forest policy and legislation.

Agroforestry is one of the major forestry extension activities being implemented by the Department. Recently, the Department has begun strengthening its Agroforestry Unit to undertake other activities like environmental awareness as well as forest and tree conservation, especially conservation and protection of indigenous trees that are culturally important to the traditional ways of life.

One of these trees is the Pandanus tree, which grows throughout the country, is used as a food source, provides building materials for houses, and protects the fragile coast lines from marine erosion. In 2001, in a joint collaboration between FAO SAPA and the Secretariat for Pacific Community (SPC), funds were made available to the Kiribati Ministry of Agriculture to develop and implement plans to protect the country¿s Pandanus tree resources. Ethno-botanical surveys were carried out, seeds from natural stands were collected, and plans are underway to create a Pandanus field genetic pool/bank to conserve the different species and varieties.

Policies
A Plan of Action for ensuring sustainable management of land, water and forestry resources and environmental protection of SIDS has been formulated within the framework of the World Food Summit follow-up and was adopted by the FAO Council in June 1999. The Plan comprises the following five main areas of actions:

• Adjusting to changes in the global trading environment;
• Towards a more intensified, diversified and sustainable agriculture;
• Meeting fisheries needs;
• Ensuring sustainable management of land, water and forestry resources and environmental protection;
• Capacity building and institutional strengthening.

The main forestry-related objectives and activities of the proposed plan of action are to:

• promote the conservation and sustainable use of land and water resources and manage sustainably the forest resources;
• enhance the environmental protection;
• improve disaster preparedness; and
• develop and/or strengthen national capacities in the context of the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture.

Last updated: June 2004