The Fijian Teachers Association Co-operative Thrift Limited received a new excavator that will help them deliver essential housing, agricultural and forestry projects for teachers and surrounding communities.

The excavator was secured under the Integrated Human Resources Development Programme through a cost-sharing arrangement valued at $233,805.

As part of the partnership, the government contributed $150,000, while the Co-operative provided $83,805.

Finance Minister, Esrom Immanuel, says the initiative aligns with their policy to empower MSMEs and Co-operatives as key drivers of inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

“The handover embodied the ministry’s promise of empowering communities to become commercially independent. By equipping enterprises such as the Fiji Teachers’ Association Cooperative, we build local capacity, stimulate rural development, and enhance Fiji’s production base.”

FTACL Board chair, Iosefa Volau says the gesture is a vital element to the co-operatives’ vision and mission.

“Today is indeed a significant milestone for FECL because from our perspective we see that you are handing to us not a machine but a key to unlock doors of unlimited opportunities to materialize our vision, excel for innovation, futureproofing, and soil survival.”

The investment is expected to save the Co-operative more than $500,000 annually by reducing reliance on private contractors, while also supporting 72 livelihoods through job creation, training and expanded economic activity.

Volau says they also plan to make the equipment available for hire to neighboring communities, extending the benefits beyond its membership.

FTACTL, established in 2018, operates both as a teachers’ co-operative and a multi-sector enterprise with $29.76 million in assets, including teachers’ villages, farming developments, forestry sites and commercial properties.

The excavator will be used across a range of projects, such as land preparation, drainage works, agricultural expansion and sustainable timber operations, to improve efficiency and strengthen service delivery.

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