SAINT Lucia’s Department of Forestry has been selected to represent the Caribbean, in a Land Degradation Neutrality Project.
Ministry of Agriculture personnel stated that, due to hard work and dedication, Saint Lucia, through the Department of Forestry was chosen after rigid evaluation as a participant in the second phase of the Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)project aimed at implementing an integrated land use planning framework for Saint Lucia.
The second phase, launched on May, 12 as the brainchild of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) seeks to maintain and increase the quantity and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services that yield sustainable enhancements in food security.
Meeting the selection criteria in transforming land-based agendas were 18 participating countries, namely: Argentina, Benin, Central African Republic, Georgia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Republic of Moldova, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Saint Lucia, and Turkey.
Alwin Dornelly is the Chief Forestry Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development.
“I am very excited about this selection. This was a call for support to assist countries in strengthening the Land Degradation Neutrality targets and the Integrated Land Use Planning Framework. A number of countries would have submitted support requests; however, Saint Lucia was the only Caribbean country selected,” noted Dornelly.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development commends the Department of Forestry for allowing Saint Lucia to become an honorary representative for sustainable land management practices which targets an integrated planning framework for Saint Lucia.