Land zone definitions for Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Abstract

The primary goal of this project is to promote sustainable land use by involving the communities in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the land zoning plan for Rarotonga. Rarotongans are dependent on land for their livelihoods. However, land is in limited supply. It is becoming increasingly scarce as a result of the ever-increasing human population and their needs. The demands for housing, food production, tourism, etc. are greater than the land resources available. The way land is used must change in order to accommodate the increasing population and meet new demands, particularly from the tourism sector. It means land should be used wisely and sustainably. The sustainable use of land will have two general advantages. Firstly, it will help the present generation to produce sufficient food and lead sustainable livelihoods. Secondly, it safeguards the rights of the next generation by protecting the natural resource base. It is against this background that land zoning and land use planning come into the picture.