:: Press Releases

Japanese ODA Focuses on Environment Education and Conservation Programmes

The Ambassador of Japan to Fiji, H.E. Kenro Iino, will launch a booklet for school children, titled “Forests of the Fiji Islands” at 11:00am on 31 March 2004 at the Ministry of Local Government, Housing, Squatter Settlement, and Environment.

The booklet is part of a larger project on Environment Education and Conservation conducted by the Japanese NGO - OISCA (Organisation fort Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement) and the Department for Environment with funding support from the Government of Japan.

The objective of the project is to involve rural communities in the monitoring, protection and renewal of their environments. The new booklets will be distributed to schools around Fiji and the interactive activities contained within aim to integrate environment values into the formal school curriculum.

Japan has supported numerous projects for environmental protection through OISCA with many villages, rural settlements, and schools benefiting from the hands on approach adopted by OISCA. Some OISCA programmes include fish farming, mangrove planting and reforestation.