STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS BEGIN FOR THE COASTAL RESILIENCE SAMOA PROJECT

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), today commenced the first district consultation for the GEF8 Blue and Green Islands Integrated Programme – Coastal Resilience Samoa (BGI-IP CRS) Project, beginning with stakeholders from the Faasaleleaga 3 district.

The consultation marks the first in a series of district engagements that will be conducted across nine target districts in Upolu and Savai’i as part of the implementation of the Coastal Resilience Samoa Project.

Representatives from the villages of Eveeve, Fatausi, Fogapoa, Fuifatu, Fusi, Sapapalii, Tapueleele, Tuasivi, Vaiaata, Vaimaga and Vaiola participated in the consultation.

The consultation provided a refresher of the Coastal Resilience Samoa Project, to enable the communities to contribute to identifying priority Nature-based Solutions interventions within their district. Participants were also introduced to the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Survey, part of the project’s monitoring, evaluation and learning framework. The survey will collect baseline information on community knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to coastal resilience, natural resource management and environmental conservation to help inform project implementation and monitor progress over time.

The Coastal Resilience Samoa Project responds to the growing pressures facing Samoa’s coastal and terrestrial ecosystems, including climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss and unsustainable resource use. Through a nature-positive approach, the project aims to strengthen ecosystem resilience by promoting Nature-based Solutions, restoring priority landscapes and seascapes, and enhancing community participation in sustainable natural resource management.

The Coastal Resilience Samoa Project is implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, funded by the Global Environment Facility, to strengthen the resilience of Samoa’s coastal and terrestrial ecosystems while supporting sustainable livelihoods and community wellbeing.