The Amerindian Development Fund (ADF)-Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) Project Management Unit of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs recently launched a series of inception seminars in various hinterland regions to mark the full implementation of the project (Phase II) following the pilot stage which commenced in 2013 covering 26 villages.

With a budget of USD6.3 M, the ADF-GRIF project was established to provide support for the socio-economic and environmental development of Amerindian Communities, through the implementation of Community Development Plans (CDPs) financed through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

The proposed CDPs cover agricultural production and processing, village infrastructure, tourism, manufacturing, village business enterprise, and transportation, among others. Micro-capital grants will be made available through the LCDS GRIF for Amerindian Communities to pursue these business ventures. The CDPs were developed through a process of FPIC (free prior and informed consent).

The inception seminars for 161 Amerindian Communities and Villages were conducted in six regional inception conferences. These inception conferences prepared the Communities for follow-up scoping and training missions and ultimately for the disbursement of Micro-capital grants in the amount of GYD 5 Million each to set-up and run their respective business ventures (CDPs).

The project is undertaken with technical support from UNDP.