The Fijian Government will continue to focus on the modernisation of the agricultural sector with the implementation of the 2020 Fiji Agriculture Policy Agenda.
Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Hon. Inia Seruiratu met with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Ms Kundhavi Kadiseran in Bangkok where the modernisation of the agricultural sector was discussed.
The meeting took place on the margins of the 12th Session of the Governing Council for the Centre for Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Agriculture at UNESCAP that was chaired by Minister Seruiratu.
“The Fijian Government and FAO have always had an effective collaboration and our meeting reinforced its importance and significance. It provided me an opportunity to thank Ms Kadiseran, especially for the recent opening of the FAO Office in Suva, based at my Ministry,” Minister Seruiratu said.
“FAO has assisted Fiji through a number of technical assistance, since I took over this portfolio, including the formulation of the Fiji 2020 Fiji Agriculture Policy Agenda, the platform of our current drive to s Fiji’s agriculture sector.”
Ms Kadiseran was accompanied by members of her Senior Management Team while Minister Seruiratu was accompanied by Fiji’s Acting High Commissioner to Malaysia.
The two leaders discussed on a range of issues primarily focused on deepening the engagement between Fiji and FAO.
They also touched on how FAO can continue to contribute to the modernisation of Fiji’s agricultural sector including issues such as trade & investment, technical assistance, participation in international fora, capacity building and enhancing the technical skills for staff of Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture through hands-on training.
Minister Seruiratu said the agricultural ministry needs to continue to engage FAO of its expertise in covering gaps.