Picture: Hon  Dr Mahendra Reddy Hon  Faiyaz Koya and Hon  Mereseini Vuniwaqa with government officials inside the processing plant.

The first of its kind and a historic achievement after a community-run processing plant that will develop commodities into products was officially opened by three Cabinet Ministers – Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, the Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy, the Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, the Hon. Faiyaz Siddiq Koya, and the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, the Hon. Mereseini Vuniwaqa in Nabulini, Wainibuka on Monday (17.8.20).

 In officiating at the event, the Hon. Minister Dr Reddy said the Nabulini Processing Centre would create a market for farmers and growers whose products would be processed at the newly opened facility. 

“We don’t want the entire community to take the entire produce to another place, or sell it to a middle man who will process it, or go and process it somewhere else,” he said. 

“We have de-centralised this facility through the Ministry of Trade, through the Food and Agriculture Organisation – we have up-skilled you, we have trained you. This will become a model facility so you can process your products right here at your doorstep.” 

Dr Reddy said Government was considering using the Nabulini model to replicate to other parts of the country to ensure surplus was created in order to create new products such as cassava flour, cassava fries, or cassava chips. 

“There’s no end to product development. It requires a little bit of thinking outside the box.” 

The Minister said his Ministry was keen to partner with others, like FAO; Ministry of Health for certification of products; Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport; and Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation to assist women and children in villages find employment in agribusiness. 

He thanked the elders of the Nabulini Village for motivating the youths. He also thanked the mothers who came in numbers to show strength and motivation for the youths to expand this project and carry on. 

“I want to assure you, on behalf of Government, the Hon. Prime Minister - our Ministry will continue to support you to also expand.” 

-ENDS-

Pic caption: 

1. Last 3 nos 936: Ratu Peni Semira of the Wainuqa Farmers’ Cooperative explains how the Nabulini Process Plant works to Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, the Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy (in white shirt); Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, the Hon. Faiyaz Siddiq Koya (3rd frm left); Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, the Hon. Mereseini Vuniwaqa (3rd frm right); the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Ritesh Dass (light blue shirt); and Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Trade and Tourism, Mr Shaheen Ali (1st frm right). 

2. Last 3 nos 440: The three Cabinet Ministers; Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, the Hon. Mereseini Vuniwaqa; Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, the Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy; and Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, the Hon. Faiyaz Siddiq Koya with the Nabulini villagers. 

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