In keeping with its growing focus on climate change, the government is considering locating the Ministry of Agriculture division that deals with this to the Office of the President.
This disclosure was made yesterday by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud when he addressed a forum on biodiversity, climate change and forestry in the Conference Room of the Guyana Forestry Commission.
A collaboration of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and Conservation International (CI), the workshop was held as part of the IDB-funded project on “Biodiversity Mainstreaming through Avoided Deforestation”.
Several officials of the GFC and CI attended this forum as well as several other key stakeholders in this initiative.
Persaud, addressing the gathering, re-affirmed the government’s position on the sustainable development of the country’s forestry resources. He called for market-based mechanisms to benefit Guyana for its efforts in sustaining its forests. He explained that many international organizations were providing funding for those nations interested in reforestation, but not for those who wanted to keep their trees.
Persaud also emphasised that the government regarded climate change as a very important issue. According to him, for this reason it is considering relocating the division that oversees climate change from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Office of the President, where it may be better supervised. He hinted that this change may come as soon as next year.
The IDB contributed US$150, 000 to the “Biodiversity Mainstreaming through Avoided Deforestation” project which is slated to come to an end in April.
Chairman of the National Climate Change Committee Shyam Nokta told Stabroek News that the initiative came about after the IDB President Luis Moreno met President Bharrat Jadgeo last year. During their deliberations, the IDB President pledged the support of his organisation to the government and people of Guyana to help in the conservation of the country’s forests. Part of the objective of this initiative is to offer the government a conceptual and analytical framework to assess the current needs, challenges and opportunities of the forestry industry. Further, there will also be an examination of the impact of infrastructural development in biodiversity conservation. Additionally an assessment of the nation’s carbon stock will be done.
