By MARAIA VULA
The Fiji Institute of Agriculture Science has been revived after 20 years.
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests, Lieutenant-Colonel Inia Seruiratu, said it took positive thinkers and energetic staff of the ministry to resurrect this institution.
The institute was launched at the Holiday Inn Suva on Thursday.
Lieutenant-Colonel Seruiratu said: “This is one of the major initiatives of the ministry’s Research Council to modernise Fiji’s agriculture and promote the livelihoods of farmers and facilitate better processing and marketing.”
He explained the institute would provide a platform to all those interested in advancing agriculture in Fiji to unite and exchange vast practical experiences.
“Also share innovative ideas and knowledge that will lift Fiji’s agricultural sector to internationally competitive standards,” he said.
Institute Interim president, Shalendra Prasad, said: “As the world progresses, agriculture is becoming science based and we need to develop our young scientists to understand what agriculture is.
“The time has come for us to modernise agriculture to increase the production and productivity of the farm and we can take advantage of all technologies has to offer around the world.”