Sainimili Magimagi 
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Manoa Kamikamica, says the cooperative movement holds the key to unlocking Fiji’s rural economic potential and tackling poverty.
Speaking in Parliament, Kamikamica says that with government support for cooperatives increasing from $400,000 last year to $600,000 this year, he is confident the funding will continue to grow as more communities turn to cooperatives to build sustainable livelihoods.
Kamikamica pointed to global examples, including India’s Amul dairy cooperative with US$4 billion in revenue and Japan’s JA Cooperatives, as proof of how collective ownership can drive economic success.
“These are not just stories of survival, they are stories of growth.”
Locally, he highlighted the resilience of the Lako Yani Vou women’s cooperative at the Nausori Market, which has expanded its business with the support of a three-tonne truck, and the Kabara Yavusa Ono Cooperative , which has diversified from handicrafts into coffins and furniture production.
He adds that government’s approach is to help every village identify its inherent strengths, whether resources or skills, and connect them to the right markets.
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