By Olimatou Coker
The Nagoya Protocols and Access and Benefit Sharing Project (ABS) recently planted over 800 trees in Nyambia and Kiang West National Park.
The tree planting activity at the Nyambia Forest was attended by different stakeholders in the environment sector who planted different tree varieties within Nyambai and Kabafita forest parks.
The ABS Project in collaboration with its partners, the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management and the National Environment Agency are implementing a sensitisation program on the importance of conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge targeting stakeholders within Nyambai Forest.
This activity is meant to enlighten local stakeholders on valorisation of biodiversity to improve conservation and sustainable use of selected genetic resources in these protected areas.
The objectives of the sensitisation is to discuss issues affecting conservation to help stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities in biodiversity conservation, initiate community discussion on proactive measures for better management of biodiversity.
The project is funded by GEF with the main objective of ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources.
The main goal of the project is to enhance the Gambia national policy, regulatory framework, institutional capacity and knowledge needed to implement the Nagoya Protocol.
Dr Dawda Badgie, the Executive Director of the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the importance of the tree planting cannot be overemphasised.
“We know over the past years, we have lost a lot of important indigenous trees and it is important for us to replenish those trees for the future generation of this country,” he said.
Abubacarr Kujabi, the Coordinator of the Nagoya Protocol/ABS Project, said the aim is to plant more trees before the end of the year.
Ousman Bojang, the Governor of the West Coast Region, welcomed the initiative.
He said it is the responsibility of all to ensure the country’s forests are protected.
