Fiji imported $42.6 million worth of rice last year and the Ministry of Agriculture says any village that wishes to venture into community-based rice farming to increase rice production in the country will be assisted by the Government.
For Fiji to be self-sufficient in rice production, a total of 24,000 acres of land with 2 crops per year is needed and currently, only 7000 acres of land is used for rice cultivation.
Minister of Agriculture, Doctor Mahendra Reddy says the assistance they provide include mechanical assistance, training, rice seeds and the milling of rice for farmers’ consumption.
Doctor Reddy says villages only have to provide land for this initiative and have to be supported by the villagers themselves and then it is the village headman's task to sign a commitment contract of how many years they will be undertaking this initiative.
He says once this agreement has been signed, rice seeds will then be provided in equivalent to the population size of the village.
Doctor Reddy adds that agriculture officers will be conducting training in villages and community members are urged to attend the short courses on rice cultivation.
The Minister says that people must understand that the effects can not be realised immediately, but progressively over the next 10 years.
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