Modern farm centre to help farmers

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Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary Dr Andrew Tukana, left, Taiwan International Cooperation Fund (TaiwanICDF) secretary general Dr Charles Li, Taipei Trade Office representative in Fiji Paul Chen and MOA director Crop Research Dr Shalendra Prasad unveil the green smart nursery at the Centre for Agriculture Technology Transfer (CATT) at Bau Rd just outside Nausori yesterday. Picture: TIMOCI VULA

THE Centre for Agriculture Technology Transfer (CATT) was officially opened at Bau Road outside Nausori yesterday.

The Smart Farm is a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) under the Taiwan International Cooperation Fund (Taiwan ICDF).

Taiwan ICDF secretary general Dr Charles Li said through this TTM demonstration farm, the centre will assist local farmers with the provision of modern farming techniques.

He said the centre is not just a place for agricultural production but a holistic ecosystem that combines technology, environmental protection, and community sharing.

“I believe this centre will continuously mobilise more resources to enhance its function and efficiency, and further fulfill MOA’s expectations for future plan under the leadership of mission chief Liao of TTM,” Dr Li said in his address.

“Now all cultivation management demonstrations are available here and the cultivation of crop tissue culture of seedlings like banana is in progress.”

Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary Dr Andrew Tukana said yesterday’s inauguration of CATT signified a momentous achievement in the collaboration between Fiji and the Taiwan government through TTM.

“The Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways has recognised the necessity of establishing a commercial tissue culture laboratory within the country to facilitate the rapid multiplication of good planting materials and increase our farm production,” Dr Tukana said.

He said the facility was set up with a total cost of $1.4million, and has a training hall, tissue culture lab, processing facility, a smart nursery, staff quarters and demonstration fields that will serve as a training platform for extension officers and farmers on the latest advancement and technology.

Guests at the event were taken on a tour of the tissue culture lab, the green smart nursery, and the guava and dragon fruit orchards.