Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy while attending the UNCCD COP14, met with the Director General of The Energy Resource Institute (TERI) Dr. Ajay Mathur at the Institute.
Minister Reddy was accompanied by Fiji’s Ambassador to India H.E Mr Yogesh Punja and members of the High Commission of Fiji in India. The dignitaries discussed on-going engagements with Fiji and future areas for collaboration.
Dr. Ajay Mathur said that the Institute welcomed the visiting delegation and highlighted that TERI had worked on a number of issues related to environment and sustainable development in Fiji, including working on national biodiversity from the interior to the sea.
Minister Reddy thanked the Director-General for all the assistance provided while also highlighting other areas of cooperation; “we can explore opportunities where we can work together, since Agriculture is a common sector both in India and Fiji”.
Dr. Mathur added that the Institute and the Fijian Government could work together in areas of capacity development, external and internal financing of projects while assisting to create an innovative portfolio to create income and employment in Fiji.
Hon. Reddy was also updated on projects which were handled by TERI in Fiji such as the status of the environment impact assessment report, which according to Dr. Mathur was in its final stages of completion.
Project funding was also requested of TERI in Fiji, citing it as a developing nation, and in light of the risks associated with climate change, the social contribution of TERI would establish their footprint and offered an opportunity to assist a small island nation like Fiji, as TERI had established itself with a vast number of scientific projects already undertaken.
“Since Fiji is at the forefront of climate change, if TERI could provide 25,000 solar panel packages for households in maritime areas that do not have access to main power grids, this investment will have a socio-economic impact on these households.
As a result of the discussions, Director General Dr. Mathur said the TERI team would begin working on these requests and that the Solar Panel Package projects, which would be inclusive of basic lighting of 5 lightbulbs, basic refrigeration and white goods were possible and would be discussed further upon his visit to Fiji to handover the environment report.
While discussing agricultural development assistance, Minister Reddy highlighted the need for TERI’s assistance in ground water pumping solutions for agriculture and distract water through small Verilog for irrigation systems to collect rain water as water management in Fiji was an issue on farms.
A request was also made to engage experts from India to be seconded to the Fijian Government to assist in the area of sustainable development and project proposals.
The meeting concluded with an agreement that upon the next scheduled meeting in Fiji, the two parties would discuss all development agenda and work to implement mutually agreed items.