Natural Resources Development Foundation (NRDF)

 

NRDF (Natural Resources Development Foundation Trust Board Incorporated) is a Non-Government Organization (NGO) in the Solomon Islands, which started its activities in 2003.  The Foundation’s main aim is to support small-scale economic development at grass-root level (villages, communities, families), through the sustainable use of available natural resources.  

 

The Foundation started its interventions as a reaction on the ongoing destructive logging of the rainforest areas in the Solomon Islands by Asian logging companies. NRDF wants to put a hold on these activities by supporting the landowners in starting alternative economic activities in their areas.

 

Some of these activities are:

 

• Timber harvesting and Sustainable Forest Management

• Reforestation and Forest restoration

• Small-scale Agricultural and Agro-forestry projects

• Eco-tourism & Nature conservation

 

NRDF’s support ranges from: providing sawmills; organizing training programmes & workshops; advice and consultation in product marketing; legal assistance in logging cases; facilitating in transport & communication. Activities are taking place in areas that are identified by NRDF, featuring large (untouched) forest areas and other natural land-use forms with adequate natural resources. Currently NRDF is active in 4 areas or project areas: Jorio (Vella Lavella), Katupika (Choiseul) Sasamunga (Choiseul) and Ngorabara area (Choiseul). See also Section Project areas.

 

Main features of a project area are:

 

1. The area contains large areas of forests which have not been logged

2. In the areas independent Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) are established to  coordinate, monitor and evaluate the activities;

3. The community representatives have signed an agreement with NRDF and are committed to use and manage the natural resources in a sustainable way;

4. Communities have access to a Community service saw mill, which has been provided by NRDF through a fifty/fifty repayment agreement.

 

The aim is to have 5 project areas in 2010. CBO’s that have been established in the areas are: JORIO CBO (Vella Lavella), ELBAR CBO (Sasamunga) and AVASO CBO (Katupika) and are represented by the respective coordinators and their committees.

 

NRDF is currently in its 6th year of operation and is working under its 2007-2010 programme plan funded by the Inter Church Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO) in the Netherlands