Landowners throughout the country are being urged to utilize their land resources for agricultural purposes to help generate positive returns to the Fijian economy through this primary industry.

While speaking to farmers of Navatusila District in the highlands of Navosa yesterday, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy highlighted that idle land was a wasted resource and the onus was on landowners to put it to good use.

Hon. Reddy reiterated his message to farmers to pursue agriculture on a large scale as a commercial venture to drive growth and development in their remote locations.

“Though Fiji’s food security isn’t an issue it still isn’t enough because we need to utilize all of our available resources and put it to good use because our current efforts aren’t enough to reach the growth and development that is needed for the country.”

“We need to utilise the idle land that we have, there is a lot of unutilized lands that you can use for your own betterment and for the growth and development of the nation,” said Minister Reddy.

He added that the Ministry of Agriculture was now urging all primary agriculture stakeholders (labourers, farming households, farmers, entrepreneurs and landowners) to play their part in taking agriculture to its rightful place.

Minister Reddy said that the Ministry was always on hand to provide the needed support for farmers to venture into any particular farming of their choice, be it in livestock or crop farming but the main component needed to initiate any form of agricultural undertaking, land, was needed to begin in the first place.

 “We want you to grow on a large scale and to ensure that our resources, particularly land, are put to their maximum use and are used sustainably as well as we are actively promoting organic agriculture as part of our way forward, but the onus still remains with you, the farmer and resource owners to utilize your resources,” said Hon. Reddy.

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