The Ministry of Agriculture has received the final handover of seedlings under the British American Tobacco (BAT) Fiji’s Project Seedling 2021 programme.

While officially receiving the last batch of seedlings under the Project Seedling at BAT Fiji’s Leaf Growing Division in Votualevu on Friday 29th April, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy acknowledged BAT Fiji’s commitment and comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture, as it was indicative of their commitment to the Fijian economy.

“I want to acknowledge the continuous past contributions of BAT Fiji which has cultivated and distributed more than 140,000 assorted vegetable and fruit seedlings to our farmers via the Ministry of Agriculture in 2021-2022 alone.

“They have been supporting us from long back since 2019 and we appreciate that today we will be receiving seedlings for eggplant and tomato and these seedlings are important, why is this important? Because it guarantees pretty much 100 per cent germination rate so I applaud the support that BAT has given us today with regards to the supply of vegetable seedlings,” said Hon. Reddy.

He added that the Ministry would seek to continue the partnership with BAT Fiji as it also provided a strategic way for BAT Fiji, in continuing the utilization of its facility for similar projects, to deal with its corporate social responsibility toward the country’s development objective.

Meanwhile General Manager of BAT Fiji, Damian Bruty said the organization was committed to helping farmers secure their food security, highlighting the impact that Project Seedlings has had on their partner farmers.

“BAT places great importance on the wellbeing of farmers who grow leaf for the Business. As tobacco is a seasonal crop, the business provides cash crop seedlings to the leaf farmers from the offseason of September to February. This is done under Project Seedling for which we are gathered here today with our partner farmers.

“Previously, the business has supplied cucumber, tomato, pawpaw and lettuce seedlings, enabling farmers and helping to ensure their food security and also allowing for crop rotation on farmland and in the 2021-2022 Project Seedling season, BAT Fiji has cultivated 150,000 vegetable seedlings with the Ministry of Agriculture providing the seeds and distributing the seedlings as well,” said Mr Bruty.

“Project Seedling enhances immediate food security and it also allows for an alternative source of income to support economic recovery, while simultaneously driving the good practice of crop rotation amongst our farmers, today we have a further 2,000 vegetable seedlings to distribute and we are committed to conducting the project again this year,” added Mr Bruty.

Through Project Seedling BAT Fiji has cultivated and distributed more than 140,000 assorted vegetable and fruit seedlings to the Ministry of Agriculture in 2021-2022 alone. The project began in 2019 and represents BAT Fiji’s support for the wider UN Sustainable Goals with a specific focus on Goal 2 - Zero Hunger.

The project has been conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture which supplies the vegetable and fruit seedlings to BAT Fiji. BAT Fiji uses its agricultural expertise and extensive greenhouse infrastructure located at the BAT Leaf Growing Division to cultivate the seedlings.

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