3,565 cane farmers in Labasa will be receiving vegetable seedling packs to help address food security needs.

This follows the devastation caused by TC Yasa and TC Ana.

Labasa Cane Producers Association President, Mohammed Rafiq, says there was widespread damage on cane farms as well as vegetable farms after the two cyclones.

Rafiq says the association then decided to take on a project to help provide food security for the cane farmers and they managed to rake up $150,000 funding.

“The major donors for the project is Fairtrade Australia and Fairtrade NewZealand as well as Fairtrade Germany. The rest of the funds is from Labasa Cane Producers Association.”

Association Executive Manager, Lakhan Kumar, says they want to help improve the livelihoods of cane farmers who were affected by the cyclones.

“The focus is that farmers will start land preparation from March till April and then planting will go on. So, within three months definitely the vegetables will be ready for consumption. Our aim is that farmers should have food security on the table.”

Each pack contains seedlings for about ten vegetables.

The distribution will commence on Monday.