The Australian government in partnership with United Nations Women will provide farming equipments and seeds to over 1500 market vendors affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Margaret Twomey confirmed this yesterday at her residence during a media conference.

“Over 70 percent of these market vendors are women; they will be provided with farming seeds, fertilisers and farming equipments,” she said.

UN Women- United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women representative Aleta Miller said they worked in 10 markets in close partnership with municipal councils around the country.

“Through Markets for Change, UN Women is working with over 10,000 market vendors in Fiji, who provide direct income for an estimated 50,000 people.

“This income is what sends kids to school, what ensures that they have health care when needed, it is what gives Fijian families their strength.

“As importantly, if not more importantly, women market vendors play a key role in the economy of Fiji and in the food security of the entire population of the country,” he said.

Mrs Miller said they were the ones who connected producers of fresh foods with consumers and their families.

“They are the ones who are behind the Fijian Rugby 7s team that asks you to eat Fijian grown produce,” she said.

Edited by Paula Tuvuki

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