About 530 farmers will benefit from a Global Environment Fund of $650,000 under the Ridge to Reef project, spearheaded by the Department of Environment.
Minister for Agriculture and Environment Dr Mahendra Reddy said the fund would ensure that farmers could operate a sustainable farm that ensured the protection of their environment.
“The Global Environment Fund is $650,000 where 528 farmers will benefit from this fund,” he said.
“With this fund, we are protecting our animals and farms and at the same time our biodiversity.”
Department of Waterways and Environment permanent secretary Joshua Wycliffe said the protection of the environment had a lasting effect on agriculture.
“The Department of Environment works with agencies such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank and global environment facilities that secure funds for the country in areas where environmental factors actually impact your everyday lives,” he said.
“One of those key things in this area is biodiversity and biodiversity is the protection of animals and species of plants and especially those species of animals and plants that are fast disappearing.
“This is the very basis of agriculture. “Agriculture and biodiversity provides us Fijians with raw materials that improve our livelihoods.”
