FARMERS are urged to step beyond subsistence farming and to seize their place on the global agricultural stage.
Ministry of Trade permanent secretary Shaheen Ali made the call to farmers at the 2025 Fiji Farmers Economic Summit that ended in Suva last week, and issued a direct message that farming was no longer just a means of feedings families, but it’s a pillar of national economic transformation.
“You’re not just building farms, you’re building our future,” Mr Ali told more than 250 summit delegates last Friday.
He outlined the growing demand from countries like the UAE, Australia, New Zealand, China and the US for Fijian produce such as ginger, turmeric, dalo, cocoa and coffee.
He said the challenge remained on whether or not Fiji could scale up to meet the demand consistently and competitively.
“Not yet. But that’s also our opportunity,” Mr Ali said.
With proper organisation, quality assurance and production volume, he said Fijian farmers could become premium suppliers in high-value global markets.
The PS said success stories of a few local companies now exporting their produce overseas illustrated the tangible gains when community effort met strategic support.
He cited six programs – Integrated Human Resource Development Programme (IHRDP), Northern Development Programme (NDP), Young Entrepreneur Scheme (YES), National Export Strategy (NES), Trade Enhancement Programme (TEP), Cooperative Development Fund (CDF), tools through which the ministry offered targeted financial and technical assistance to scale rural agribusinesses.
Mr Ali said equally crucial was the role of market linkage.
“The ministry, working with Investment Fiji and overseas Trade Commissioners, is actively connecting producers to buyers who demand quality and reliability.
“Through cluster farming and partnerships with private-sector players like Fiji Water and Aitken Spence, Government is helping transform smallholder production into coordinated, export-ready supply chains.”
Mr Ali challenged every farmer to take concrete steps.
“Don’t wait to be discovered. Register your co-op or business. Talk to our team. Don’t leave this summit with just inspiration. Leave with a contact. Leave with a plan.”
