Many of Fiji’s farmers aspire to export their produce overseas, but identifying markets and maintaining consistent supplies of quality products is a complex challenge, according to Fiji Crop & Livestock Council (FCLC) CEO Jiu Daunivalu.
Daunivalu highlighted that, thanks to Zoom technology and the two-day FCLC training event titled “Empowering Farmers’ Organisations for Sustainable Agribusiness Development & Corporate Governance Training,” held on June 13th and 14th at Yatu Lau Conference Centre, numerous queries from the 11 FCLC Farmer Associations were addressed.
During the event, the farmers were able to connect live with Jessica Goundar from the Fiji Trade Commission in Australia and New Zealand, based in Auckland. “Ms. Goundar addressed farmers’ inquiries with a focus on assessing trends in agricultural production and market access, specifically trade opportunities,” explained Daunivalu.
Goundar stressed the importance of fostering good relationships with overseas buyers, planning planting schedules to meet agreed quotas and maintain product quality, and adhering to all regulatory requirements for commodity exports.
Daunivalu added that the 11 Farmer Organizations present at the training have re-registered and now incorporate “Marketing” into their names.
The two-day training offered clear guidelines on the office bearers’ obligations and duties under their respective constitutions and applicable laws. Key topics on the second day included good governance, the responsibilities of government bodies, interactions with government entities, and the role of private entities, which include farmers’ associations and organizations.
“This training builds on the momentum from the recent successful Farmers’ Forum where we also celebrated FCLC’s 10-year anniversary. Over a decade of operations has seen significant advancement in farmers’ organizations, reflecting the restructuring and commercialization needed for non-sugar sector farmers, driven by FCLC,” said Daunivalu.
With sound business principles, these farmers are now actively seeking markets both locally and internationally, rather than relying entirely on middlemen as they did in the past. This progress is indeed a reason to celebrate,” she added.