West hit hard as hundreds seek post‑cyclone farm assistance

The Western Division has emerged as the worst‑affected region following Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, accounting for the majority of applications received under the Government’s TC Vaianu Farm Support Initiative.

The Government has pledged swift action to help farmers recover, as more than 600 farmers nationwide sought assistance under the initiative.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry confirmed it received 638 applications when the initiative closed last Friday, with 559 applications coming from the Western Division alone.

In a statement, the Ministry said the strong response reflects confidence in the programme and the urgency of restoring agricultural production across affected regions.

Within the division, Ba recorded the highest number of applications at 357, followed by Nadroga/Navosa with 133 and Ra with 69, highlighting the extensive damage suffered by farming communities across the west.

By comparison, 56 applications were received from Kadavu in the Eastern Division, while 23 were lodged from Naitasiri in the Central Division.

The Ministry said the strong uptake underscores the widespread impact of TC Vaianu on agricultural livelihoods, particularly in the Western Division where food crops and root crops play a critical role in household income and food security.

Applications came from farmers growing key staples and commercial crops, including cassava, eggplant, yaqona, banana and papaya — crops essential to both food security and rural incomes.

A breakdown of applicants shows 521 men and 117 women, with the majority aged between 36 and 56, representing an experienced farming population keen to resume production.

Cassava was the most affected commodity, with 209 farmers listing losses, followed by eggplant (92), yaqona (54), banana (36), papaya (31) and longbean (31).

The Ministry said field verification of applications will begin immediately and is expected to be completed within one and a half weeks, allowing support to be distributed without delay.

Officials will contact farmers directly to verify information submitted and have urged applicants to cooperate fully to ensure timely processing.

The Ministry said the initiative reflects the Government’s commitment to ensuring no farmer is left behind and that recovery efforts will not only restore livelihoods but strengthen the sector against future climate shocks.