Picture: Minister for Agriculture Hon Dr. Mahendra Reddy, Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Mr. Ritesh Dass , AMA CEO Mr. Alvin Sharma with Farmers.

Effective use of available resources for agricultural purposes will help to secure the livelihoods of resource owners and contribute to the agriculture sector's growth. 

While highlighting the potential of the agriculture sector and the role of farmers in realizing this outcome, Minister for Agriculture Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy reiterated the need to utilise arable land to land owners of yavusa Navunisea and Delai at Nataleira Village.

This was shared by Minister Reddy when launching the Navunisea and Delai Farm today, whereby twenty five farmers from the two yavusa signed up to be part of the Agricultural Marketing Authority's (AMA) contractual farming program, which is an integrated approach by the Ministry of Agriculture and AMA to make agriculture a billion dollar export industry. 

Hon. Reddy acknowledged their commitment towards the initiative, as they had dedicated 105 acres of their land for the planting of dalo and cassava, elaborating that there was no excuse for improved livelihoods and poverty alleviation.

"Agriculture has a lot of potential and there is no reason why land owners should be poor, use your resources wisely and put the land under production,  because we're here to secure your market, the AMA is ready to buy your produce," said Minister Reddy.

He highlighted that some maritime villages often found it difficult to secure markets for their produce, whereas for farmers on the mainland, the market was readily available, as he stressed that they fully commit to their farms and the contractual agreement.

 Additionally, Minister Reddy also launched the Beqa Variety Yellow Cassava today, which will be grown by the 25 farmers for the export market.

The Navunisea and Delai farmers will grow the Tausala variety dalo on 40 acres, Yellow Cassava on 43 acres and the Uro-ni-Vonu variety dalo on 20 acres of land which will be supplied to the AMA.

The Ministry of Agriculture will provide planting materials to the farmers, and as part of this assistance agreement, in three years the farmers are expected to multiply it and return the same quantity of the planting material so that the same assistance can be provided to other farmers.

Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the Nataleira farmers, Turaga ni Koro Asaeli Donu said the initiative to provide markets to the farmers was a well thought out initiative that would benefit them. 

"Our farmers will now grow the two crops according to the agreement, and plus, we no longer have to worry about the market, which is something we usually had to arrange after all the hard work we've already put in to grow our crops," said Mr. Donu.

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