The agriculture sector's potential can only be realized if a shared common vision to effectively utilize available resources is put into practice. 

This was the message by the Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy while handing over 56 fencing material assistance packages to smallholder farmers of Macuata and Bua earlier this week.

Hon. Reddy said Fiji imported approximately 85 percent dairy products and was heavily dependent on imported rice to meet local demands, with vast tracts of land remaining idle.

“I urge you all, farmers and land owners, to put your land into good use to raise the agriculture sector to new heights, whereby agriculture can be the defining sector for Fiji’s economy."

Additionally, Hon. Reddy said farmers needed to treat agriculture as a business, and to dismiss the conception of the Ministry of Agriculture as a lending institution, continuously returning to request for more assistance. 

“We really need to pull up our socks and utilize our available resources; that is why we are here today to give you that startup capital - the fencing material so that the ten goats or sheep that you have can develop your paddock and expand your production, “said Hon. Reddy.

“We want you to expand the holding, goat and sheep holding. We want to thank you for your interest in Agriculture, this year is renowned for livestock farming , Bua is very renowned for livestock farming and we want you to grow and we want you to develop and that’s why we are here today to give you this assistance," he reiterated to Bua farmers.

Farmers were advised to use the fencing material in a timely manner to ensure the livestock sectors development. 

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