Thanks to the Idle Land Clearing Grant, Mohammed Farook can put his plans for his 10 acres of land in the upper Tunalia area, into motion.

The 44-year-old former truck driver in Nadi has expressed his appreciation to the Government for this grant assistance. He was among the 15 farmers or landowning units in the Western Division who were assisted with the grant late last year.

The grant was launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, Mahendra Reddy, in Ba in November 9, 2021.

Mr Farook said he had been driving trucks for over 20 years and found time to finally return to agriculture. With the grant he plans to achieve higher stances.

“Through the grant, it has been possible to bulldoze an area of 10 acres in the upper Tunalia area which I recently acquired,” he said.

“This is a huge boost for me personally to be assisted by the Government which I am ever grateful for.”

Mr Farook has been living on this land in Tunalia for the last three years which has a lease of 30 years.

“I have been planting and supplying cassava to supermarkets during this pandemic. I have the order and also for agro marketing to buy as well,” Mr Farook said.

He plans to use the land to farm cassava and other crops.

He said when he was growing up, his father used to plant sugar-cane, cassava and pineapple.

“I had to support myself as I was the eldest in the family of five. My dad was in agriculture too and we had been supported that way. It is my turn to continue to assist my children too,” he said.

According to the ministry, it is targeting around 150 acres of lands to be cleared and cultivated through this programme with a total provision of $500,000 as the grant for immediate clearing of uncultivated and unutilised lands to be put to good use.

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