By RACHNA LAL
The 2013 Crest Agriculture Show has received another boost with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), through its Land Resources Division (LRD), presenting $15,000 cheque as sponsorship.
Acting director Land Resources Division, Sairusi Bulai, said: “We have witnessed how it has grown to become one of the prime national events in Fiji’s calendar.
“The theme ‘Agriculture for Fiji’s Health and Wealth’ is highly fitted and very relevant.
“For a country to progress we need a healthy population and the agriculture sector plays a vital role in achieving that.”
The 2013 Crest Agriculture Show will be held at Churchill Park in Lautoka from September 3 to 7.
Challenges with the sector
Mr Bulai said one of the biggest challenges faced in the agricultural sector is the need to get more of our younger generation attracted to agriculture.
“There are also issues of access to land, use of unsustainable practices, and climate change and how these are affecting our environment, economic and social well-being,” he said.
“All these issues need the concerted efforts of not only the Government but of all key stakeholders, so we could effectively overcome their adverse effects on agriculture and to the lives of people.
“Thus an event such as the Agriculture Show plays provides an excellent opportunity to put across to our people all the facts about the importance of agriculture and the reasons for investing into it.”