[Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways Fiji / Facebook]

The Ministry of Agriculture recently organized a two-day training program focusing on the fundamentals of floriculture at Rukuruku Village, Lomaiviti.

This training aimed to empower women in maximizing their involvement in the floriculture trade for enhanced income security.

Thirty women participated in the training, gaining valuable insights into the cultivation and harvesting of high-value flowers such as Anthurium and Orchids.

The sessions also covered the art of arranging these flowers into wreaths and various floral compositions.

[Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways Fiji / Facebook]

Senior Agriculture Officer and Floriculture Coordinator Naomi Naiqumu has emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to collaborating with women in communities.

She says the objective is to introduce and nurture their interest in floriculture as part of broader initiatives, including the Strategic Development Plan.

Naiqumu highlights the importance of recognizing women’s substantial contributions to the agriculture sector.

[Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways Fiji / Facebook]

She says that the Ministry is actively promoting women in agriculture through initiatives such as the Women in Agriculture and Vanilla Programs.

Stressing the crucial role women play in households, Naiqumu points out that leveraging local resources for financial gain is a viable option.

Ground-level activities include training sessions, consultations, capacity-building for women farmers and various forms of assistance alignes with the Ministry’s women in agriculture policy.

This floriculture training in Rukuruku Village marks the second such event in the Lomaiviti province following a successful session in Vatulele village on Koro Island.

The Ministry anticipates conducting additional training sessions in the coming months for communities expressing interest in floriculture.