The Ministry of Agriculture is educating the public on the green economy.

An inclusive green economy is one that improves human well-being and builds social equity while reducing environmental risks and scarcities.

For the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, the focus has been on sustainable development. Forestry Officer, Mr. Karl Augustine spoke on the work that the department has been doing promote this green economy.

“We’ve been working on protecting our waterways and soil resources which are integral to our economy. We have also been good at engaging with community groups and NGOs. What we have started to focus on more is how we can satisfy the economics of it all. We have also been promoting agro-forestry as a means of climate proofing our food production systems in a sustainable way.”

Mr. Augustine spoke to some of the projects that have been in keeping with the green economy.

“Under the Iyanola Project we’ve been engaging farmers to establish wind breaks, and establishing tree barriers between themselves and neighboring farmers. Now, instead of using any species as we used in the past, we have changed our specie selection to favour fruit-bearing species. While these bring benefits like soil protection and water protection, you also gain additional economic benefits.”

He added that eco-tourism is also an example of how the green economy can function well.