Government has announced the introduction of a $0.5 million grant aimed specifically at enhancing the co-operative movement.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Cooperatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Manoa Kamikamica discussed this initiative in Parliament, noting that this marked a significant step towards supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.
He said there was a growing interest in this sector and that the number of registered co-operatives has seen a remarkable increase, with 61 co-operatives registered in 2022 rising to 134 in 2023 — a growth of 73 percent.
“In terms of activity, yes, we have seen a resurgence in activity, since 2022,” Mr Kamikamica said.
“We have really tried to push the agenda of MSMEs and also for co-operatives, not only by making them an actual department within the ministry, but also encouraging a lot of our Fijians to join and form co-operatives.
“We believe that one of the pathways out of poverty lies within the co-operative movement, as well as the MSMEs.”
He pointed to increased awareness and activity surrounding co-operatives, noting that the ministry conducted 182 awareness sessions in 2022, which increased by 109 percent to 484 sessions in 2023.
Mr Kamikamica also acknowledged potential resourcing challenges ahead due to this growth.
To address these challenges, government has allocated approximately $0.5m in grants for co-operatives.
“Additionally my ministry has decided to digitise the database for co-operatives and MSMEs.
“This will allow us to track the registrations and track how that process is happening, including applications for grants and, hopefully, that will create some efficiencies in terms of how work is being done.”
