Various stakeholders within the sugar industry, including policy makers, representatives of the private sector and farmer organisations were brought together in a one-day workshop.
The workshop’s object was to learn more about the European Union-funded Improvement of Key Services to Agriculture (IKSA) project.
It was held at Tanoa waterfront Hotel in Lautoka earlier this month.
While opening the workshop, Sairusi Bulai, standing in for the director of the SPC Land Resources Division said that IKSA project has enabled SPC to work directly with Fiji’s sugar industry.
This was for the first time and hopes that lessons learnt and experiences gained will also be useful in SPC’s work in other member countries.
“We consider this to be an honour and also a great responsibility and we would like to thank the Fiji Government and other relevant parties for their partnership and close cooperation,” Mr Bulai said.
Common goals
“We all share common goals to achieve sustainable economic development in the Fiji agriculture sector.
“We hope that this workshop will deepen and enhance our operational integration, as well as our partnership and relationships with all relevant stakeholders, working together to add value and maximise the welfare of the sugarcane farmers and their communities that live in the sugar cane belts.”
Implementation
Being directly related to the sugar industry, IKSA opened its project office in the sugar city to ensure close proximity to its stakeholders.
This office will soon be implementing a second EU-funded project named Implementation of Micro-projects (IMP), whose contribution agreement was signed at the office launch in October.
A third EU-funded project will focus on reforestation to address soil erosion on sloping land in the sugar cane belt.
Mr Bulai said: ‘These projects contribute towards SPC’s key development outcomes on sustainable economic development, sustainable human and social development and sustainable natural resources and environmental development and management.’
“This is in line with SPC’s mission to help Pacific Island people position themselves to respond effectively to the challenges they face and make informed decisions about their future and the future they wish to leave for the generations that follow.
— SECRETARIAT OF THE
PACIFIC COMMUNITY
Key services of the project
q The Improvement of Key Services to Agriculture (IKSA) project is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and International Trade Centre (ITC) in the sugar belt areas of Fiji.
q Under the EU Social Mitigation Programme for 2011, SPC is implementing the IKSA project to provide direct support to cane farmers. This is to improve their practices and supplement their incomes from sugarcane through the production of horticultural crops.
q The objective of the IKSA project is to cushion the economic and social impacts of the sugar restructuring. It is done by supporting a diversified, market-driven agriculture and supporting Fairtrade associations that provide additional revenue to farmers.
q IKSA aims to develop new opportunities in horticultural and sugar markets through research and the provision of assistance to farmers. They can venture into horticultural crops through improved access to agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, seeds and assistance with land preparation, as well as technical assistance on production and marketing.