The Coalition Government has announced a stepped-up push to modernise Fiji’s farming sector with a package of on-farm investments in infrastructure, equipment and services intended to lift productivity and household livelihoods, Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry Minister Tomasi Tunabuna told Parliament on Tuesday.
Tunabuna said the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways has, over the past three years, expanded direct assistance to farmers with a focus on tangible on-farm improvements. Key deliverables revealed in Parliament include the establishment of 58 new dairy farms and upgrades to 122 existing dairy sheds. To boost dairy efficiency and herd management, the ministry has installed water reticulation systems on 30 farms and supplied 19 milking machines to farmers across the sector.
Support for livestock producers has also been significant. The ministry distributed fencing kits to 94 beef farmers and constructed 109 stockyards to improve animal management and biosecurity. Poultry and pig producers received infrastructure support too: 43 piggery sheds and 37 poultry sheds have been built to strengthen local production capacity and animal welfare conditions.
A notable feature of the new investments is an environmental and sustainability component. The ministry has installed 104 biogas digester units on piggery and dairy farms. Tunabuna noted these systems enable farmers to convert animal waste into renewable energy and organic fertiliser, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering on-farm waste management costs while providing nutrient-rich inputs for crops and pastures.
The announcement represents a shift from earlier, broader policy measures to a concentrated programme of on-the-ground implementation. Earlier coverage of government agricultural reforms highlighted institutional expansions — such as plans to strengthen the Agriculture Marketing Authority with new regional centres and the opening of the Nukuloa Agriculture Station to serve more than 1,000 farmers — and public calls for improved financial access for the sector. This latest update provides concrete figures showing delivery of infrastructure and equipment to farmers, marking the transition from planning and advocacy to visible project rollout.
Tunabuna framed the investments as part of the government’s drive to modernise farming practices while safeguarding livelihoods in rural communities. By combining improved farm infrastructure, mechanisation and renewable energy solutions, the ministry aims to help farmers operate more efficiently and sustainably, he said. The measures also respond to long-standing calls from industry stakeholders for practical support on feed, fencing and farm-level productivity—issues the ministry has begun tackling through direct provision of inputs and assets.
The ministry did not disclose the total budget or cost breakdown for the initiatives in Parliament but described the work as ongoing. With these installations and upgrades completed over the last three years, the government positions the agriculture sector to move from policy commitments into broader implementation — a development likely to shape farmer incomes and production capacity ahead of upcoming planting and production cycles.
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