$1.1B MoU inked to pave way for sustainable growth in forestry sector

The World Wildlife Fund-Guianas and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support initiatives, training and procurement of equipment to bolster Guyana’s forestry sector.
This agreement was officially inked during a ceremony held on Thursday to recognise International Day of Forests 2024 at the Forestry Training Centre at Yarrowkabra, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Notably, this MoU would also garner financial support that would be channelled into the Yarrowkabra Forestry Training Centre, considering this centre’s pivotal role in shaping the forestry sector’s future.
The $1.1 billion initiative, which falls under the European Union-funded Sustainable Forest Livelihoods for Communities of Guyana project, aims to maintain healthy forests and natural resources by strengthening sustainable local community development.
Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat has lauded the Guyana Forestry Commission’s steadfast efforts in advancing the forestry sector, while expressing gratitude to the EU for its unwavering support. He highlighted the transformative potential inherent within the training centre, envisioning it as a hub for sectoral innovation and progress.

“I’m thankful to the EU and the commitment made to upgrade this facility, because there is so much more that we can do here,” the minister said.
Further, Bharrat underscored that coupling Government’s investments with strategic partnerships is a mechanism that would continue to position the forestry sector to reach greater heights, as
the country’s traditional sectors are alive and thriving.
“The criticism is that everybody is gravitating to the oil and gas sector. That is not true. Approximately 6,000 Guyanese are employed in the oil and gas sector today. Even when we start producing 1.2 billion barrels of oil by 2027, the oil and gas sector will never employ the amount of people that are employed by the Guyana Forestry Commission, because it is designed that way. That is why, as a Government, we need to ensure that we continue to incentivise the traditional sectors and continue to grow the traditional sectors,” Bharrat explained.
European Union Ambassador to Guyana, Rene van Nes, has said the MoU signals more concrete action to build out a forestry sector that supports both sustainability and economic growth. He emphasized that the forests form a critical component of Guyana’s ecosystem, and said he is pleased that its preservation is a top priority of the Guyana Government.
“Under this programme, we will now start supporting forested communities in making business plans with training in reducing impact logging…and all other aspects relevant to running viable businesses. This includes procuring forest management tools such as GPS devices…in addition to providing financial support to the Yarrowkabra Training Centre,” he explained.
Also present at the ceremony were British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller; United Nations Resident Coordinator Yesim Oruc, other members of the diplomatic corps; officials and staff of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Forestry Commission, and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.
This year, International Day of the Forests has been observed under the theme “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a better World”.