MEMBERS of commodity farmer associations were able to learn the advantages of strategising visions into realistic goals at a Strategic Planning Workshop conducted by the Fiji Crop and Livestock Council (FCLC).
The workshop, held recently at the Southern Cross Hotel in Suva, supports the modernising of the agricultural sector by ‘organising and strengthening’ members of farmer organisations as entrepreneurs and partners in agri-business.
FCLC chief executive officer Jiu Daunivalu said the practice of strategic planning would act as a catalyst to higher productivity, improving income and livelihoods, while ensuring food security with nutritious and healthy food systems, and sustainable land management.
“FCLC, through our participatory ‘bottom-up approach’, advise all agri-business owners and farmer organisations to base their goals on realistic visions specific to their demographics, commodity marketability, budgets and resources,” Ms Daunivalu said.
Workshop participant and Fiji Mushroom Farmers Association president Susan Pocock said the workshop was of immense benefit to members of the association.
“The oyster mushrooms we market are a relatively new commodity in Fiji and such training has definitely helped our association in terms of direction and capitalising on our potential,” Ms Pocock said.
FCLC plans to continue with similar training and workshops in the new year to regularly review and assess farmers and their organisations’ performance, trends in agri-food systems, and emerging market opportunities.
