A landmark agreement has been signed to boost agricultural development on Taveuni, with the Government pledging structured support for landowners of Naselesele Village under a new Memorandum of Understanding.
Responding to Government MP Iliesa Vanawalu in Parliament, Agriculture and Waterways Minister Tomasi Tunabuna said the deal was signed with the yavusa o Wainikeli, trustee of the landowning unit of Naselesele, on September 9, 2025.
“Under this MOU, the ministry and landowning unit agreed to develop approximately 1182 acres of trust land in four blocks located in Naselesele Village,” Mr Tunabuna said.
“The objectives are clear: to bring this land into productive agricultural use and to generate income for the landowning members and to set a replicable model for our communities to follow.”
Mr Tunabuna described Taveuni as the “garden island of Fiji”, producing more than 50 percent of taro exports and being a major source of yaqona, fruits, vegetables and spices.
The MOU, he said, aimed to transform traditional farming strengths into modern, commercially-sustainable ventures.
The agreement covers seven priority areas: land-use planning, on-farm visits and field schools, crop research, pest and irrigation management, farm-to-market road improvements, access to tools and seedlings, and environmental safeguards.
Funding will be allocated through capital programs, with ministry extension officers coordinating the rollout.
The landowners have pledged to make the land available exclusively for commercial agriculture during the three-year pilot phase.
Mr Tunabuna said once successful, the model would be extended across Fiji, including the smaller islands.
He said soil fertility challenges would be addressed through agroforestry research at Mua Station, and programs were also in place to combat kava dieback.
“This MOU is more than a document, it embodies our shared belief that agriculture in Fiji must be inclusive and innovative,” he told Parliament.
