A total of 3,000 farmers throughout Fiji are set to receive $200.00 each under the Cash for Cultivation programme, an initiative and partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
These farmers are part of the 2nd phase of the Cash for Cultivation programme, and follows the completion of the first phase of the programme whereby 1,000 farmers were also assisted with the same cash incentive of $200.00.
While making the announcement yesterday at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Raiwaqa, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy said implementing this second phase now was important to help ease the burden faced by farmers nationwide.
“I am quite pleased to announce the commencement of the second phase of the Cash for Cultivation programme in partnership with ADRA and in collaboration with our development partners, and our funding agencies.
“As you know in the first phase we targeted 1,000 farmers in this program who would be eligible if they participated to receive $200 if they planted a minimum of 1 acre of their land with vegetables and root crops and we are very happy to announce that we have met that target of 1,000 farmers and we are in the process of closing down the payments to all those farmers,” he said.
Minister Reddy acknowledged the financial support of the Australian Government in this second phase and has urged farmers to immediately register their interest in the programme; “We are very pleased to note that we have signed the agreement between the Government of Australia and ADRA for the funding of AUSD$500,000 towards the 2nd phase of CFC we now are ready to roll this out to target another 3,000 farmers throughout Fiji.”
“So we now are calling upon farmers in all regions to quickly register your interest with your nearest Agriculture Office, your nearest agriculture extension office and state that you wish to participate in this agriculture project,” he said.
Upon registering their interest, agriculture officers will then visit and examine the farmers’ 1-acre piece of land, which will be used to cultivate either vegetables or root crops, and upon verification of the land, a first tranche payment of $75.00 will be facilitated through ADRA to help the farmer prepare and cultivate the new field, and immediately following completion of this exercise, ADRA and Agriculture officials will again monitor the progress and evaluate the farming activity before the farmer is paid the balance of $125.00 as part of the second tranche payment.
“We understand that our farmers require cash in this particular time and their demand is subdued and probably because of the subdued demand their sales may have been affected, and because of their subdued demand, prices have gone down, slightly at the farm gate and we’re thinking that this will assist them in managing the cash flow of the farm households so in this way, we will basically be assisting the farming households with regards to their livelihoods,” he added.
Meanwhile, ADRA Fiji Country Director Mr. Iliapi Tuwai has pledged the support of their agency towards implementing the programme.
“I would like to thank the Ministry for this initiative, it’s bold in terms of the hard times we are facing right now and to offer cash assistance to our vulnerable people who are actually having issues right now. We are so happy to partner with the Government, especially with the Ministry of Agriculture,” he said.
“The ADRA team is ready to work with the Ministry as we facilitate this sharing of $200.00 to these 3,000 farmers and we will work closely with the Ministry in terms of collating all the data, and facilitate the individual filling of forms for those who will be offered this assistance.
“I would also like to take this moment to thank the donors who came forward to support us, there were various donors who also contributed to the first 1,000 farmers, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation (ECHO) fund, and also the New Zealand Aid Programme, that also contributed to the first 1,000 farmers and now the Government of Australia has stepped forward to accommodate this 3,000 and I want to acknowledge them as well for this initiative, thank you for coming forward to help the people of Fiji,” said Mr. Tuwai.
To qualify farmers will need to have an acre of cleared and cultivated land to farm on. A monitoring mechanism is also in place to ensure that the assistance is put to good use in line with overall targets to ensure farmers are building back their lives and most importantly, provided a sustainable food supply.
This second phase will target 825 farmers in the Central Division, 280 farmers in the Eastern Division, 925 farmers in the Western Division and 970 in the Northern Division.
Farmers must visit their nearest agriculture office to register their interest.