Picture: Unloading of compost fertilizer at Delaitoga village.

Forty villages on Viti Levu are targeted to receive compost fertilizer from the Ministry of Agriculture in the new financial year 2021-2022 with plans to expand the scope to include liquid organic fertilisers, reveals Agronomy Research Team, Senior Research Officer, Dr Tekini Nakidakida.

“This project will assist small holder farmers to continue farming without the need for chemical fertilisers. The compost fertilizer will sustain their soils and reduce pollution in rivers, streams and coastal areas,” Dr Nakidakida explained.

He said reduction on the reliance of chemical fertilisers would only be realized through ‘just transition’. 

“It will be easier for small holder farms to make the switch to organic fertilisers. Taking that into consideration and the need to reduce chemical pollution of watersheds, we chose remote communities or villages in the highlands and along the coast,” he enlightened.

He said the rural communities were advised how to apply the finished compost given they were already using manure on their farms.

Dr Nakidakida added that 40 villages were targeted in the last financial year and distribution was currently underway in the Central and Western Divisions.

“Medium and large scale farms will be targeted in this financial year 2021-22, after more awareness of the need to adapt to sustainable production systems.”

Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Mr Ritesh Dass had said the Organic Initiative of the Ministry targeted to reduce Fiji’s consumption on chemical fertilisers, improve soil health and soil carbon, improve soil biodiversity and sustain agricultural land for long term food security.

He pleaded with farmers to practice sustainable agriculture and not to abusively apply chemical fertilisers.

“Agriculture is very vulnerable to climate change and it is only with Climate Smart Agriculture that we can sustain our food system and socio-economic well-being,” Mr Dass said.

The Permanent Secretary said the Ministry understood the importance of chemical fertilisers and recognized their contribution to the economy, at the same time, it was mindful of protecting and sustaining agricultural soils for long term food and nutrition security.

This project is one of five new programmes of the Ministry announced in the Budget for 2021-2022 called the ‘Promotion and Production of Organic Fertiliser Progamme’ with a funding of $190,000.

 -ENDS-

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