Simione Tuvuki 
A cooperative in the Northern Division received the perfect gift for Christmas after they were presented with a rice harvester by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The 40-member Matailabasa Cooperative was established last year.
It is made up of farmers who actively cultivate rice in Nagigi, Korovatu and Naleba.
Member Vinesh Nand says the machine will ease the struggle to obtain labour, which is one of the obstacles faced by farmers in the area.
“The workforce was from one family, they used to plant their own … like the sustainable farming that we used to do, but now we are running short of labour and there are only two to three people at home with children moving away overseas.”
Nand says the machine is a blessing in disguise for the farmers, which will help address the issue of labour shortage faced in the agriculture sector.
The Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Tomasi Tunabuna acknowledged the resilience of these farmers who pushed on despite the challenge.
“We have been working against time and we have working against unfavourable weather conditions, COVID-19 and the high cost of living as farmers. The government is here to assist.”
Tunabuna encouraged the younger generation to actively involve themselves in farming, as there is a notable age gap among farms around the country.
The members of Matailabasa Cooperative actively toil on an 80-acre plot of land and harvested 80 metric tons of rice from a 65-acre plot of land last season.
