January 19, 2023
Picture: SAO Rewa Mrs Unaisi Remudu conducting the training
With
the average rate of only a 5 percent increase in dalo production in the past
five years in Rewa and Tailevu, the Ministry of Agriculture is looking at ways
to improve dalo production in these two provinces.
The
Ministry of Agriculture recently conducted two days of training for
23 dalo farmers at the Kaybee Enterprise farm at Sauniwaqa
Subdivision, Nakasi to discuss best
practices of growing quality dalo and to maintain the same quality
post-harvest along the value chain for domestic, regional and international
levels.
Factors
affecting the production of dalo in the provinces include saltwater intrusion,
changes in weather patterns, adoption of improved dalo farming techniques
and fluctuation in dalo prices.
During
the training, discussions were held on ways to address these challenges to
increase dalo production and empower existing growers to produce quality
dalo for selected markets.
Senior
Agriculture Officer (Rewa), Ms. Unaisi Remudu said it is important
for farmers to take note of changes surrounding the dalo production,
market and industry.
“These
are dedicated farmers, they play a vital role in the industry and despite the
challenges faced over the years and factors affecting the progress, they take
up the risk and continue feeding the local market and it is vital that
they are equipped with new knowledge that can assist in the boosting production
and smart techniques to ease farming,” she said.
The
highlights of the training included dalo agronomic practices, seed material
treatment, pest and disease control, soil chemistry, soil land management,
mechanization, export and basic farm records and sustaining dalo
production.
“Dalo
is a competitive export commodity and we can lose international trade
in the export market if farmers do not meet the importing country’s biosecurity
requirements, so it is important to create awareness amongst farmers on the
requirements for compliance,” said Remudu.
A
participant, Apisai Bakani of Namara in Tailevu said the training has broadened
his knowledge on ways to address some key challenges on his farm.
“We
were made aware of the practices we lack, what the market requires of us to
provide, the practices that I need to focus on boosting my production, I have
learned ways to control pests and diseases on my farm, the relevant sizes for
the export market and the importance of soil testing,” he said.
Apart
from training, as a part of its extension services, the Ministry of Agriculture
conducts farm visits, meetings and technical advice to dalo farmers. Ministry
also has a dedicated research unit for root crop research and development.
The
Ministry of Agriculture has allocated $200,000.00 towards the Dalo Planting
Programme for 2022-2023 of which 53 percent ($105,850.00) has been
allocated to the Central Division.
According
to the statistics from the Fiji Agriculture and Rural Statistics Unit of
the Ministry in 2021, the 1,680 dalo farmers in Tailevu province
produced 10,180 metric tonnes, while 333 farmers in Rewa province produced
1,474 metric tonnes of dalo during the same period.
-Ends-