A multiyear programme valued at $600 million (US$3 million) has been launched to strengthen the capacity of Amerindian Villages, including the National Toshaos Council (NTC) to develop and implement effective long-term sustainable plans which are aligned with national development priorities.
On Wednesday, the multiyear project was inaugurated at NTC’s Secretariat Headquarters with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Ryan Toolsiram, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Guyana Odd-Magne Ruud, and NTC’s Chairman, Toshao Derrick John and others attending.
This project will allow the NTC to provide technical assistance to villages in developing their 10-year Village Sustainability Plans (VSPs) with emphasis placed on improved environmental management, increased climate resilience, and enhanced sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Training programmes and workshops will be conducted to enhance the knowledge and skills of village leaders, community members, and NTC staff on relevant topics.
It will also foster collaborations amongst villages, the relevant government agencies, NGOs, academic institutions, and other stakeholders.
Moreover, a system will be established to monitor, evaluate, and improve VSP implementation through learning and knowledge sharing.
Importantly, the project will allow the NTC and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to be more institutionally equipped to support effective VSP planning, implementation, and monitoring.
This programme is necessary as 242 Amerindian and remote villages across Guyana will see flows of revenues from 2023 to 2030, through Guyana’s REDD+ Programme.
However, for villages to access this fund, they are required to develop VSPs through a process of village consultation and autonomous management and identify actions to develop village livelihoods.
In 2023, $4.7 billion (US$22 million) was disbursed to these villages, leading to over 500 projects being implemented.
