A new chapter of hope and opportunity has begun for the people of Kavala Village in Kadavu, as villagers celebrated the opening of BAT Fiji’s fifth Grow+ Remote Greenhouse today (23 January 2026).
The event was described as joyful by the 12 villages in the district, marking a significant milestone in strengthening local agriculture and livelihoods in Kadavu.
The greenhouse was officially opened by the Minister for Agriculture and Sugar Industry, Tomasi Tunabuna, together with the General Manager of BAT Fiji, James Goldring, at the Nasaleka Government Station.
Equipped with automated irrigation systems, a water tank and a pressure pump, the facility has the capacity to produce up to 5,000 vegetable seedlings each month, or 50,000 annually, boosting local agricultural productivity and economic resilience.
BAT Fiji has previously established similar greenhouses in Nadarivatu, Tutu in Taveuni, Moala in Lau and Bia-i-Cake in Savusavu. The Kavala greenhouse now extends this support to farmers in Kadavu.
For Kavala, the initiative is expected to reduce reliance on fresh produce freighted from Viti Levu, increase access to locally grown vegetables and strengthen food security. It also opens new income opportunities for households, with the long-term vision of Kadavu eventually supplying cash crops to larger islands.
Mr Goldring said BAT Fiji has operated in Fiji since 1955 and has a long history of supporting farmers through agricultural programmes. He noted that the Grow+ Programme, launched in 2022, has already distributed nearly 2.6 million vegetable seedlings to farmers nationwide.
“We are proud to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and the people of Kadavu to extend our Grow+ Programme to the islands,” he said.
The Government has also committed more than $115 million in the 2025–2026 National Budget to the agriculture sector — one of the largest investments in recent years — strengthening extension services, irrigation, mechanisation, livestock development, seed propagation and agricultural innovation across Fiji, including maritime provinces like Kadavu.