The Minister for Agriculture, Inia Seruiratu this week visited farms and explored potential land areas that could be used for farming in the Western Division. This is in particular in Nadi, Lautoka, Ba and Tavua.

“I just came to identify opportunities in the West, particularly the idle land,” Mr Seruiratu noted.

“We at the Ministry of Agriculture want to fully utilize the idle land to ensure it will create an impact to the lives of the people particularly the landowners and not only that to create employment and reduce rural urban drift and most importantly contribute to GDP.

“This is Agriculture’s entire plan in the Ministry looking at reducing import levels and increasing our exports levels as well.

“So we will be looking at all options available to the landowners and of course to the Ministry as well.”

Minister Seruiratu said that the Ministry of Agriculture’s focus is on Food Security and contributing more to GPD and to work on efficiency and targeting intervention towards reducing Import levels and increasing Exports.

He said that according to the 2013 World Bank Report on Poverty and Household Income and Expenses, majority of people living in the rural areas are still under the poverty line.

“And for them, their livelihood is Agriculture, so if we fix Agriculture, we fix Poverty in Fiji. That is the big challenge for us, and we should create an atmosphere to change the livelihood of the people and have Rural Transformation through Agriculture.”

His visited the Legalega Research Station, Sabeto dairy farmer, the All Nation Christian Fellowship proposed poultry farm land area, Vaivai Dairy Farm, Toa Shed Farm, Rooster Poultry and Tavua landowners.