The Ministry of Agriculture has revealed that around $24.3 million has been spent on the Farms CARE assistance to date to assist those Fijian farms that were affected by Tropical Cyclone Josie and Keni and the subsequent flooding in-between.
Acting Deputy Secretary for Agriculture Development – Jone Sovalawa says over 55 700 Farmers are utilizing the initiative which was first rolled out in May.
“55 767 Farmers throughout Fiji and when we look at it geographically, for the West, its 38 900 Farmers which we have assisted, in the Northern Division, 3, 876 Farmers, whilst the Central Division, 10 442 Farmers.”
The assistance Sovalawa says while targeting Commercial Farmers has also being made accessible to those with back yard farms to cater for their own consumption.
“Between $150 to $300 whilst those that small commercial, there are also three categories in the range of $500 to $1200 whilst the full commercial, we gave them $2300.”
The Deputy Secretary notes however they have been issues from the shortage in supplies to some farmers querying the assistance itself being insufficient.
Sovalawa maintains while you cannot please everybody, the Ministry has other intervention programs which Farmers can access should they require further assistance.
