The Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Vatimi Rayalu, commended China its agricultural assistance that is enabling Pacific Island Countries, including Fiji, in its agricultural production and food security.

Mr Rayalu was speaking during the second China-Pacific Island Countries Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers meeting in Nanjing, China on Tuesday.

He said this assistance included the provision of agricultural experts, building demonstration farms, training model farmers, promoting improved crop varieties, and providing technical support.

Mr Rayalu said in 2019, the first such meeting held in Fiji, adopted the “Nadi Declaration of China and Pacific Island Countries on Agricultural Development”, charting the course for practical agricultural cooperation in the new era.

Since that meeting in Fiji, the Ministry of Agriculture has been active towards its agreements on priority areas such as rice production, establishment of juncao and mushroom, infrastructure development, and cooperation in education and training.

“As you all know the agriculture sector in the Pacific island countries are vulnerable to the effects of climate change,” Mr Rayalu said.

“Our nations have been adversely affected by the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, loss of productive farmland from salt water intrusion, relocation of communities near coastal regions and substantial financial drain from mitigation and rehabilitation.”

He also touched based on the challenges Fiji is facing in its economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need to combat climate crisis and the support transitions toward net zero.

Story By: Leone Cabenatabua

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