The Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Dr Andrew Tukana is concerned about Fiji’s existing level of food security and has emphasized the importance of increasing sector capacity.

The Ministry of Agriculture has started a number of training programs targeted at identifying qualified applicants for important roles and improving the abilities of current employees.

The Permanent Secretary reiterates that capacity building is critical in terms of food security.

Dr Tukana emphasizes that the Ministry will be the first to develop capacity.

“If there are people not sitting in the right positions, then we need to correct those and also with, you know, high vacant positions, you know, within some of the ministries that we have here in Fiji, you know, we’re also recruiting at the same time to bring in the manpower and also to find the right people in the right jobs and also to build the capacities of the current staff that we have.”

Trainee, Teini Maatalui voices her optimism about the impact of the knowledge gained.

“Gaining these skills and knowledge will help us to go back to our country and do some trainings and stuff for the farmers for them to just be aware of how to control the pest and disease who’s declining or decreased their yield production”

The Ministry’s initiatives are part of a larger plan to improve Fiji’s food security by increasing the workforce’s capabilities in agriculture and making sure that the country responds to diseases and pests in a coordinated manner.