10 mataqalis (land owning units) and 14 individual farmers from within the Central Division received their offer letters for the commencement of land clearing works on their farms today.

These farmers and clusters are being assisted through the Land Clearing Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture.

While officially handing over their offer letters at Korovou today, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy urged all the recipients to take full advantage of this opportunity and to grow towards commercial agriculture levels for the benefit of their families and communities.

"We want you to grow your commercial agriculture venture for your benefit and for your mataqali whose resources are there to be utilized in the nation's interest because we are an agriculture nation and our strategic advantage lies here.

Minister Reddy elaborated that a total of 33 individuals and 20 mataqalis were being targeted to be assisted under the Land Clearing Programme whereby the Ministry would provide the resources to clear their land, free of charge.

"We will clear the bush using excavators and bulldozers, we will prepare the land using our tractors and we will give you the planting material, and you don't have to pay a single cent," he said.

"Our contractors are ready to mobilize their resources immediately and I want to congratulate all of you who are the recipients of this programme. Thank you because you weren't done any favors, we didn't do any favors for you, you deserve it you went through a very rigorous competitive process without any favor to anyone applicant and you were chosen to be recipients because of your interest and potential," added Hon. Reddy.

The 10 mataqalis that received their offer letters today will have 5 acres of their land cleared with the 14 individuals set to have 1.5 acres of their unutilised land cleared, respectively, with funding sourced through the Land Clearing Programme.

Minister Reddy also urged the recipients to treat their farms as a business and to refrain from requesting for more Government assistance as there were more farmers and clusters that required assistance.

"You need to grow on your own from here, treat your farms as a business and please don't come back to Government next year asking for more because we want to assist another mataqali and other individuals through this same programme and so forth. We need to shift our focus to helping all mataqalis in the country and this is why you must consider this as assistance that will be rolled out on a one time basis.

Meanwhile, Mr. Manoa Gade of Cautata Village, Bau, Tailevu said the land clearing assistance was a welcome one which would have a huge impact on their farming development.

"I can assure that this help will not go to waste for us. We will use it to grow and expand our farms as this is a big opportunity for those of us who have been fortunate enough to be selected to receive it and I thank the Ministry of Agriculture for the work being done to grow the sector," said Mr. Gade.

A total of 71 acres of unutilized, uncultivated and overgrown land within the Central Division is earmarked to be cleared, prepared and used for agricultural purposes under the Land Clearing Programme.

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