Agriculture Sector Hit Hard, Damage Estimated at $324,162
The Ministry of Agriculture assessment team at Ono-i-Lau has revealed that the total cost of damage to the agriculture sector is estimated at $324,162.
The Damage to the agriculture sector includes vegetation, crops and livestock.
Senior agriculture officer Nimilote Waqabaca said the four villages in Ono-i-Lau suffered 60 per cent of damages from Tropical Cyclone Gita.
Mr Waqabaca said Nukuni village suffered the most damages during TC Gita.
“Damages sustained in Nukuni village are estimated at $63,998, whereas Lovoni recorded $45,915 and $8,755 in Motokana,” Mr Waqabaca said.
He said these areas were identified as the worst affected areas.
“Many of these villagers rely on yams, banana and coconut for their daily living,” he said.
“With banana as one of the major high value commodities for Nukuni village, it suffered damages worth $14, 250.
“The total value of banana before the cyclone was around $20,000 to $30,000.
“All banana plantations in the four villagers were severely affected by this cyclone.
“However, they will still be able to supply banana and other needed crops to the local market,” he said.
Yam is the other commodity that has been affected by TC Gita.
“In Lovoni the total damage of their yams is around $13, 000,” he said.
“The people of Lovoni heavily rely on the root crop for their daily living.
“He alluded that food rations in the four villages can feed them for three months.
“With the vegetation and root crops left in the village, it can hold them for three months. This is why we will be providing 200kg Twoli Rotuman seedlings to the four villages,” he said.
“We provided fences to livestock farmers,” he said.
Mr Waqabaca commended the four villages for their preparedness for the cyclone.
“If the villages were not prepared for the cyclone, there could’ve been more damage to the agriculture sector,” he said.
“These villages were definitely prepared for the cyclone.”
He said there was no agriculture assessment at Vatoa.
“There were no damages to the agriculture sector in Vatoa as the cyclone did not affect them like Ono-i-Lau.”
