Vanuatu’s forestry industry is looking toward a new direction after Acting Director of Forestry, Godfrey Bome, presented a comprehensive five-year plan at the National Forestry Forum in Port Vila.

The plan focuses on three main areas:

Commercial Timber Tree Development

Non-Timber Forest Product Development

Sandalwood Development

According to the report presented at the forum, the forestry sector has experienced a decline in recent years.

Acting Director Bome said many farmers have left the sector because forestry is a long-term investment, and they have moved to other agricultural areas that offer quicker financial returns.

The five-year corporate plan identifies new priority areas aimed at addressing these challenges and revitalizing the sector.

“The three main programs in the corporate plan ,commercial timber tree development, non-timber product development, and sandalwood development , are key strategies that the government will invest in to support identified farmers and boost resource production,” Mr. Bome said.

The plan also outlines an island-focused approach, where the government will work directly with local farmers across the islands.

Mr. Bome said the government is now exploring new ways to make forestry more commercially driven, with policies and programs focused on profitability and market access, supported by clear strategies that benefit farmers.

“In the past, forestry policies focused on smallholders, but in the next five years, we’ll move toward commercial production. You don’t just plant a tree — you plant a product, like timber,” he explained.

Nursery production will continue at forestry stations around the country, with the government introducing strategic measures to re-engage farmers’ interest in the forestry sector.