European Union (EU) Ambassador to Fiji and the Pacific Andrew Jacobs and Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, Margaret Twomey handed over equipment valued at about $330,000 to the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) on Monday.

The assets are part of the European Union funded Training Support to the Fijian Sugar cane Industry project implemented by the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) to improve the livelihoods of the sugar cane dependent population, to promote income generation through sugar cane farming or alternative livelihoods.

The package included vehicles, hand and electrical tools, training resources, computers, projectors, as well as other office equipment.

Mr Jacobs said the Training Support to Fiji’s sugar industry has been part of the longstanding assistance that the European Union had been providing to the sugar sector in Fiji, amounting to about $119 million to date.

‘’The European Union is proud in supporting this initiative. Partnering with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) has proved highly effective empowering and enhancing the capacities and skills of people in the sugar sector,” Mr Jacobs said.

“The assets handed over to the Fiji Sugar Corporation will not only better equip them to provide effective advisory services to farming communities, but also help it to sustain skills development and learning for the entire industry workers,” he said.

Mr Jacobs also handed over the eleventh European Development Fund (EDF) help which includes an assistance of $45 million to support the agriculture sector and sugar subsector reform in Fiji.

“The programme is ongoing in close cooperation with Government and should be completed this year.”

Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji Margaret Twomey said that she was delighted that Australia’s partnership with the European Union had been successful in helping Fijians in the sugar belt areas.

“More than 1600 people have been trained under this project of which more than half were Fiji Sugar Corporation employees.

“Over 350 leader farmers have also been up skilled through various workshops to enhance their technical, business and leadership skills,” Ms Twomey said.

Training for the Fijian sugar cane industry workers is facilitated by the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC).

FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark while extending his appreciation to the European Union and the Australian Government, said that the up skilling of its workforce had brought about operational improvement as they continue to drive the organisation forward.

“The challenge will be for our staff to put into practice all that they have learned,” Mr Clark said.

“We are going to maximise the training and development for all staff.

The delegates at the handover ceremony were provided a tour of the new Fiji Sugar Corporation Training Centre that is near completion.

The EU has contributed F$550,000 for the construction of the new building which will assist Fiji Sugar Corporation and other stakeholders have access to modern facilities for training to enhance the work carried out by the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) through the project.