Livestock farmers urged to prepare for worsening drought
Cattle, goats and sheep showing signs of stress as drought is expected to continue into early 2027
Thursday 17 September 2026 | 13:30
Fiji’s livestock sector is coming under pressure as prolonged dry weather linked to El Niño affects farming communities.
The Ministry of Agriculture has reported declining livestock condition and productivity as prolonged dry weather linked to El Niño continues to affect farming communities across Fiji.
Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Tomasi Tunabuna said the ministry had received reports of livestock being adversely affected by the dry conditions and had activated a back-up plan to help mitigate the impacts.
While he did not reveal the number of reports received, Mr Tunabuna said the information was still being analysed before it could be released.
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With the drought spell expected to persist through the remainder of the year and into early 2027, he said livestock farmers needed to prepare for worsening conditions.
Mr Tunabuna said no livestock deaths had been reported so far, but cattle, goats and sheep were showing signs of stress, with weight loss, reduced productivity and affected reproductive cycles observed.
He stressed that adequate water and feed supplies remained critical to keeping animals healthy and preventing further losses.
Mr Tunabuna urged livestock farmers to consider selling weak or vulnerable animals to reduce potential losses.
“My advice to farmers is to make sure their livestock gets enough water, but, if water sources dry up or are limited for quality feeding, culling off excess and vulnerable animals is an option to undertake,” he said.
He said resilient livestock breeds should be retained for breeding once conditions improved.
Mr Tunabuna warned that farmers who failed to store sufficient water and feed risked shortening livestock lifespan and undermining the sustainability of their farming operations.
“Farmers showing laxity to stock up water and feed will reduce livestock lifespan impacting farming sustainability, so farmers need to be prepared,” he said.
The minister said the ministry's technical teams had also been directed to increase awareness among farmers about measures that could reduce the impacts of El Niño on livestock production.
