Cooperatives Benefited from Agric Ministry’s Farm Mechanization Program

…Farmers are urged to work closely with the Ministry for maximum production and access to new market

...Farmers advised to focus on increasing production and move towards commercial farming

The Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, Fiji is making concerted efforts to help farmers increase agricultural production and improve their standard of living.

Narewa Farmers Cooperative

The Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Hon. Tomasi Tunabuna handed over a Solis 75RX 4WD tractor with a 3-disc plough valued at $46,620.00 to Narewa Farmers Cooperative in Sigatoka today.

Hon. Tunabuna advised the farmers to focus on increasing production and move towards commercial farming.

He urged the farmers to work closely with the Ministry staff to utilize their land for maximum production and find new market opportunities.

The Narewa Farmers Cooperative was established in 2021 and comprises 33 farmers from the village, with a total population of 251.

These farmers have been farming for food and income security. They sell their produce for the export market and also supply it to the local municipal markets.

The group utilizes 30.8 hectares of land for cultivating root crops, tree crops, fruit trees, and assorted vegetables. They also have 62 cattle, 20 pigs, 78 goats, and 15 dozen domesticated chickens.

The cooperative president, Joave Turukawa, expressed gratitude towards the Ministry for their assistance and stated that the tractor would facilitate land preparation and enhance their production.

He said the machine will not only enhance the members’ livelihoods but also generate income by changing their farming practices into a business mindset.

The group intends to venture into export markets by cultivating export crops like eggplant, red fire chilies, okra, pawpaw, and tree orchards, including Green Pearl guava and breadfruit.

The tractor was given under the Ministry’s Farm Mechanization program whereby the co-operative paid one-third of the cost of $15,540, and the Ministry covered the remaining two-thirds.

Tokatoka Nakubu Investment Cooperative

In the same vein, the Ministry has also supported another cooperative before that of Narewa Farmers Cooperative find below the story;

The Tokatoka Nakubu Investment Cooperative received a Solis 75RX 4WD tractor with a 3–disc plough valued at $46,620.00 this week.

The Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Hon. Tomasi Tunabuna while handing over the tractor to the Tokatoka Nabuku Investment Cooperative at Vunibau Village, said that farmers need to treat farming as a business and ensure income and food security for their families.

He said the Ministry is committed to supporting agriculture development and farmers need to focus on increasing production.

The tractor was given under the Ministry‘s Farm Mechanization program whereby the Fiji Development Bank assisted the cooperative to pay their one-third contribution, which is

$15, 540.00.

Speaking on behalf of Tokatoka Nakubu Cooperative, Mr. Jone Waqanidrola thanked the Ministry of Agriculture for its continued efforts towards increasing the production level of farmers in the long run.

“I acknowledge the involvement and assistance provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Fiji Development Bank as farmers had difficulties in getting a tractor to plough their land,” said Mr. Waqanidrola.

He said the members will still have to pay for the tractor to plough their land to assist them in paying the bank loan and the tractor’s maintenance.