Opposition parliamentarian Mitieli Bulanauca questioned Government over the reduction in the Agriculture Ministry’s allocation from $65.7 million last financial year to $62m in the 2021-2022 budget.
He made the comment during debate on the 2021-2022 Appropriation Bill in Parliament on Monday.
Mr Bulanauca said the reduction “shows the low priority that the FijiFirst Government or party gives to agriculture”.
He said Fiji was an agriculture-based economy and to help increase production he put forward a number of suggestions.
Mr Bulanauca said Government should create growth centres in every district or province or tikina by providing land security of tenure, and opening up land for agriculture developments and extensions.
He said Government should provide roads and transport systems to farms and infrastructure, power, electricity, hydro, solar, water processing yards, store houses and cooling facilities, transport, logistics and technology.
Mr Bulanauca said subsistence farmers should be encouraged to become commercial farmers with a focus on education and training.
He said villagers and settlement dwellers should be encouraged to support farmers’ cooperatives.
Mr Bulanauca said Fiji also needed to focus on organic food production and livestock production to meet the country’s meat needs.
