PRIME MINISTER VOREQE BAINIMARAMA'S SPEECH AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF NUBU FARMS

16/06/2020


Turaga na iLiuliu ni Yavusa o Nubu;
Turaga na iVakatawa e Nadala;
Nubu Farmers Group;
The Minister for Agriculture;
CEO of Agro Marketing Authority and Board Members;
Government Officials;
Ladies and Gentlemen.

 
Bula Vinaka and a very good afternoon to you all. 
 
I’m delighted to be here this afternoon for the launch of Nubu Farms –– the latest community-based model of commercial farming that we’ve been steadily rolling out across the country. 
 
Through this new venture, across these 125 acres of farmland in the heart of Viti Levu, 42 farmers –– including women and young folks –– will grow previously import-dependent produce like carrots and celery, as well as traditional Fijian staples like duruka and dalo. 
 
Rather than going at it alone, these farmers are members of a fully-managed commercial farm. As contracted farmers to Fiji Agro Marketing, each of these farmers will be card-holding members of the Fiji National Provident Fund, and can access FNPF funds to better their children’s education, upgrade their homes and save for retirement.
 
Friends, most every year, I dedicate an evening to celebrate the achievements of the Fijian Tourism Industry, recognising the business-people who help employ thousands of our people and grow our economy. At those events, I urge Fiji’s tourism operators to look locally as often as possible for Fijian-Grown produce, to give those they host a taste of the real Fiji and give our farmers a chance to earn more income.    
 
But not all the food that guests want to eat is grown locally in commercial quantities. Kitchen essentials like onions, garlic, carrots and celery are imported by hotel and restaurant managers. But as a nation blessed with vast tracts of arable land, it doesn’t make sense for so many of Fiji’s tourism dollars to go off-shore for the purchase of produce that can and should be grown in Nadarivatu’s ideal climate. And this is bigger than tourism; we can build a self-sustaining agro-economy that nourishes Fijian families with healthy, balanced diets and exports high-quality Fijian produce to markets abroad.  
Last year alone, we imported over $5.4 Million Dollars’ worth of carrots and over 1.8 Million Dollars’ worth of celery. While this year’s Tourism Industry has been crippled, we’re working hard to get the sector back up and running. When that come-back finally arrives, I want more of the value of those big import bills to stay in Fiji. Specifically, in the pockets of the farmers of Nubu Farms. 
 
This isn’t a one-off, one-year project. The Ministry of Agriculture is committed to supply planting materials to Nubu Farms for the next three years, giving you time to achieve large-scale commercial farming that can sustain your community for decades. If we keep this momentum going, your children could be farming this same land, earning the same proud living feeding families.  
 
Friends, we’re living through an extraordinary chapter of Fijian history due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
 
But no matter what is happening overseas, and no matter how long this pandemic persists, our need for hard-working Fijian farmers will always remain. When Fijian farmers are strong, Fijian communities are strong, Fijian families are strong, and Fiji is strong enough to withstand whatever headwinds blow our way. 
 
I applaud the Tui Nubu for stepping up to work with Fiji Agro Marketing on this project and setting an example I expect will inspire more communities to take up commercial farming. Together, we can build up the scale of Fiji’s agriculture economy, feed families nutritiously, keep money in our country and with our farmers, and keep Fiji food secure.
 
Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you and God Bless! 
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