Permanent Secretary Joshua Wycliffe (left), and Minister for Environment Mahendra Reddy (second from left) with Fiji IW R2R Project Manager Tavenisa Waqatabu (far right) and villagers in Sawani, Naitasiri. Photo: Ministry of Environment and Waterways
Fiji Sun (Suva, Fiji) Four villagers along the Waimanu River in Naitasiri will now have a proper waste management practice to safeguard the environment.
This was after 40 compost bins were handed over to four villages in Sawani, Naitasiri, on Friday.
It goes in line with the 2020 world Environment Day to protect and safeguard biodiversity and for proper waste management.
While handing over the compost bins at the Sawani Village, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Mahendra Reddy alluded towards the importance of keeping a clean and sustainable environment to enhance biodiversity.
Mr Reddy reiterated the environment and biological resources should be taken care of as the certain conduct and behaviour of human activity determined the environment that would be provided for future generations.
“While we say that our forest resources are renewable resources, there are certain acts that can make it completely non-renewable resources and you must understand that certain behavior of yours will deprive the future generation of benefiting our biological resources,” he said.
“Everyone has a moral responsibility to ensure that we look after our natural environment, Therefore, the first responsibility is to educate and build wisdom amongst our children to appreciate value, enhance and build resilience in our nature.”
He further reiterated that the compost bins will not only provide a thriving environment for biodiversity but will also contribute significantly towards the reduction and the utilisation of the chemical fertilisers on the farm.
The distribution of the Compost Bins is an innovative approach of the Ministry of Environment with the Ridge to Reef (R2R) IW project.
It aims to test innovative approaches to integrated management of forested watersheds like Waimanu Catchment to protect land, water, forest, and biodiversity resources, maintain carbon stock, and protect Coastal Mangrove and Coral Reef Marine Protected Areas (MPA).
Original publication: https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/06/07/reddy-hands-over-compost-bins-for-better-waste-management-practice/
