Suva, Fiji, October 11, 2022 – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the Climate Change and International Cooperation Division (CCICD) of the Ministry of Economy, conducted community level trainings in five (5) Fijian communities under its project titled “Capacity Building to Strengthen Sustainable Implementation of Renewable Energy Technologies for Rural Energy Access”.

This initiative was part of a 4-year regional project which also focused on implementation of capacity building trainings in other Melanesian countries consisting of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea apart from Fiji. The project is funded by the Republic of Korea through the Korea International Corporation Agency (KOICA) in partnership with GGGI. The project aimed to train a total of 3000 people in all 4 countries, while also achieving 40% women and 20% vulnerable groups participation.

Participants from Vunisea community village working on the pico-hydro system demonstration kit

The project’s main objective was to strengthen informed and inclusive decision-making by resource owners and local government officials for integration of Green Economy and Renewable Energy into Local Level Planning and to Strengthen Implementation of Renewable energy infrastructure for Rural Electrification, considering gender and inclusive development.

In terms of project implementation in Fiji, the capacity building training started off in Bukuya Village in early May before moving to Vunisea in Kadavu Island, Rukua village in Beqa Island, Buca village in Vanualevu, and finishing off in Tutu Village in Taveuni in July 2022.  A total of about 1900 participants were trained through capacity building training delivered in the above-mentioned rural communities in Fiji.

Participants from Buca Village taking part in the group presentations

For a successful delivery of the project, GGGI worked closely with local partners and developed 10 training modules, complete with detailed Trainer Guides as well as simplified local language translated Learner Workbooks on topics such as: Green Economy General Principles, Green Business Basics, Energy Efficiency Basics, Inclusive Development, Renewable Energy General Principles, RE Financial Management, Solar in the Community, Solar Operations and Maintenance basics, Pico- Hydro in the Community and Pico- Hydro Operations and Maintenance basics.

Participants from Vunisea community training conducting wiring exercise on the solar home system demonstration kit

Eight (8) experienced local community trainers had undergone 2 weeks of Training of Trainers workshop, out of which, five (5) trainers were mobilized to the selected remote rural communities in Fiji to deliver the training. All the training modules will be launched later this year and made publicly available on the online knowledge management platform developed under this project.