The Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry says it has received 638 applications under its Farm Support Initiative set up to help farmers recover from Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, and will begin field verification of those applications immediately.
In a statement the Ministry described the response as “an overwhelming” sign of national commitment to rebuilding agricultural resilience. The bulk of applications — 559 — came from the Western Division, underscoring the extent of damage there. District-level figures show Ba accounted for 357 submissions, Nadroga/Navosa 133 and Ra 69. In comparison, Kadavu in the Eastern Division lodged 56 applications and Naitasiri in the Central Division had 23.
The applications cover a wide range of crops. Cassava leads with 209 applicants seeking support, followed by eggplant (92), yaqona (54), banana (36) and both papaya and long bean on 31 each. These numbers indicate demand concentrated on staple and high-value root and vegetable crops as farmers seek to re-establish production after the cyclone.
Officials also flagged a substantial mechanisation shortfall among applicants. Only 128 farmers reported owning tractors, while 480 said they had no access to machinery. “This gap underscores the need to strengthen mechanisation support to improve efficiency and recovery across affected areas,” the Ministry said, without specifying how mechanisation assistance would be provided.
Field verification of applications will commence immediately and is expected to be completed within one and a half weeks, the Ministry confirmed. Verification teams will assess damage, crop status and the eligibility of applicants; the Ministry urged farmers to cooperate fully with officers during this process to avoid delays. Verification reports and recommendations are to be finalised within the same timeframe, paving the way for expedited disbursement of support.
The rapid collation of applications and the tight verification timetable mark the latest development in the Government’s response to Vaianu. The Ministry positioned the initiative as a targeted effort to ensure aid reaches those most impacted in a way that promotes both recovery and longer-term resilience, particularly in the hard-hit Western Division.