Liberia's Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have signed a technical cooperation project for the establishment of a forest database and information system for Liberia's forest sector.

The project will support the establishment of a database on all forestry activities and make available reliable statistical data and information to the people of Liberia and partners in the forest sector, thus fulfilling the government's forestry data information objectives.

Signing for his Organization, FAO Representative Jean-Alexandre Scaglia, said a sustainable forest program will benefit the country and its people.

An FOA release quoted him as expressing delight about Liberia's vast forest resource base as one of the key areas for the country's long term development goals. According to the release, Mr Scaglia reminded Liberians that as home of West Africa's biggest forest belt, every citizen must work harder to maintain a sustainable forest program for the country.

The release also quoted FDA's Interim Managing Director Harrison Karnwea as lauding the FAO for the data and information system project. He praised FAO's long-standing support to the FDA, including staff capacity-building and essential organizational development support.

According to him, the project will enable the FDA to reactivate its website and data system on a sustainable basis to enable Liberians and partners access up-to-date data on the forest sector.

The project, which worths US$296,000, is funded by the FAO as part of its technical cooperation assistance to the people and Government of Liberia in support of the forest sector.