The Ministry of Agriculture has set plans in motion to establish a large scale beef cattle farm for Lawai Village in Nadroga.
The initiative aims to help small scale livestock cattle owners in the village transition to a commercial based operation for longevity and sustainable farming practices.
Sharing these thoughts with villagers of Lawai Village on Monday during an informal talanoa session, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Dr. Mahendra Reddy said it was best to begin by developing a small area of their land.
“We want you to start, we want to help you to start,” Minister Reddy said. “
Through the provision of fencing materials which we will provide, the village will be able to develop 4-6 paddocks for your cattle on at least 20-30 acres of land,” said Hon. Reddy.
He highlighted that the Ministry would in turn provide the necessary support and assistance to improve the village’s livestock genetic attributes by introducing a genetically enhanced breeder bull (Senepol breed), adding that a thorough Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign (BTEC) testing would need to be conducted before any such plans come to fruition.
This insight was shared with Lawai villagers following the raising of crop damages made by cattle from the village development committee treasurer, Aminiasi Kunagado who said it was a recurring issue that had seen no improvement throughout the years due to a lack of adequate fencing material.
Mr. Kunagado also praised the Minister's words of encouragement to members of the village following the informal discussion, which has raised hopes and aspirations among cattle owners.
“We count ourselves fortunate to have met and discussed some of our pertinent issues with Minister Reddy and the team. A lot of our doubts have been put to rest and he has met most of our concerns and we are looking forward to working closely with the Ministry to receive the fencing materials. While we will start off on our own in the meantime, we appreciate hearing the encouraging words from his office regarding our cattle,” said Mr. Kunagado.
Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture will provide Lawai Village with a fully-equipped stockyard with the community being asked to provide the necessary assistance.