Picture: Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy with the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji H.E. John Feakes.

Vinaka Vakalevu to the Australian Government and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) whose timely assistance will directly benefit 3,500 Fijian farmers while indirectly impacting scores more.

Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy expressed his appreciation to the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, H.E. John Feakes for injecting AUD500,000 (around FJD$800,000) into the ‘Cash for Cultivation’ program.

The Minister said the Program was unique given that it was output-based.

“To assist farmers to engage in this program, payments are made in two tranches, with $75 given as advance in the first tranche,” he said.

Dr Reddy said the Cash for Cultivation program, designed to assist farmers with land preparatory activities, would deliver multiplier benefits.

“We are not only able to secure households with respect to food and nutritional security so they are able to plant their own crops for their personal household consumption, but the assistance also secures farmers’ livelihoods because they will be able to have cash in their hand” he said. 

The Minister added that the cash injection will also assist with stimulating the rural economy.

“The money spent will circulate in the rural economy, which is a major stimulus for the rural economy to increase and expand. Cumulatively, we’re able to support government’s objective of expanding the agriculture sector, expanding agriculture output, and contributing to our quest to increase agriculture export," he said. 

This initiative will benefit a total of 4000 farmers, in addition to the 1000 assisted with the first phase of the programme, which has been supported jointly by the New Zealand Government and EU through ADRA. 

Attending the event yesterday (24.5.21), at the Ministry of Agriculture Head Quarters, Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, H.E. John Feakes expressed his delight to work in partnership with Hon. Minister Reddy, the Ministry of Agriculture and ADRA to see the continued roll out of the programme. 

ADRA Fiji Country Director, Mr. Iliapi Tuiwai said they had been working with the Ministry for some time now to help farmers who had been severely affected by the previous cyclones and other natural disasters.

“I am glad that this amount of money allocated to our people will benefit them, start them up and allow them to get back on their feet once again”, he said. 

The funds under the Cash for Cultivation Program, will be disbursed and monitored by ADRA and the programme rollout would be continued in the coming weeks.

-Ends-

• ← Go to all Press Releases