Liberia: FDA, Partners Embark on REDD+ Awareness

Stakeholders of the REDD public Awareness Campaign

The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) through the Liberia Forest Sector Project (LFSP) has embarked on a campaign that aims to increase awareness about the REDD+.so as to inform the public about some of the key milestones of the project since its inception five years ago.

REDD stands for Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Degradation. It is a framework created by the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) to guide activities in the forestry sector on the sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries.

The program aimed to implement activities by national governments to reduce human pressure on forests that result in greenhouse gas emissions at the national level. However, an interim measure also recognizes subnational implementation.

The communication campaign is meant to essentially address public perception about the implementation of REDD in Liberia through a range of activities, including radio programs, media training, public events at the national and sub-national levels, and high-level stakeholder engagement which comprised policymakers, legislators, and the academia.

The campaign will cover five counties in the Southeastern priority landscape, and two counties in the Northwest priority landscape.

Meanwhile, toward the implementation of these communication campaign activities, a Liberian consortium comprising four organizations has begun holding technical working sessions with stakeholders and project implementing entities.  The first technical session was organized to have a meeting of the mind and to update the current REDD+ Communication Strategy, the REDD+ Communications Action Plan, and to improve the quality of the current band of REDD messages.

At the end of the first technical working session, the partners agreed to collaboratively determine the most practical approach they can build upon to conduct an effective communication campaign. Like many conservation and forest management concepts, the REDD framework entails exhaustive and detailed steps before a country can attain result-based payment. 

Liberia transcended the REDD Readiness phase a few years ago and is now at phase two, which ultimately covers the implementation of national strategies or action plans.

As part of the implementation of phase two, the FDA through the LFSP is investing in forest fringed communities by supporting livelihood and enterprise development activities, improving forest governance and working with public sector entities to improve their capacities to enhance the public policy on the implementation of the REDD framework.

This communication campaign will provide the opportunity for the public to understand the enabling activities and challenges that were endured to get Liberia to phase two, and the level of progress made so far to elevate Liberia to the payment phase.