The iTaukei Land Trust Board emphasized the importance of stakeholders’ involvement in land utilization, as well as the monitoring and implementation of land use plans in various sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.

Chief Executive Solomoni Nata while addressing stakeholders during the TLTB stakeholders proposed Land Use planning for Viti Levu says these sectors are integral to the success of the master land use plan, which seeks to maximize the potential of land resources in a sustainable way.

One of the major challenges identified by Nata is that, although landowners have the land, they often lack the capital and structured planning needed to effectively utilize it.

To address this issue, TLTB has introduced the Itaukei Welfare Fund, supported by the government, which for the first time sets aside 10% of the TLTB’s income for landowner welfare.

“Currently we are distributing the money, I mean the capital for the landowners under the Itaukei Development Fund. So this assistance is basically a small amount in terms of farming, livestock, in terms of gravel extraction, business like tourism, even commercial land development.”

This fund is used to provide capital to landowners through the Itaukei Development Fund, with grants ranging from small amounts like $5,000 to larger sums of up to $1.5 million.

These funds are intended for projects such as farming, livestock, gravel extraction, tourism, and commercial land development.

This initiative marks a new beginning for TLTB and landowners, offering not only a comprehensive land use plan but also the necessary financial backing to implement it.

The overarching goal is to empower landowners to make informed decisions about their land, ensuring that its utilization benefits both the landowners and the broader Fijian economy.