SUVA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Fijian farmers have been urged to invest their time, resources and money into their farms to ensure further expansion.
Fiji's Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Mahendra Reddy advised farmers to think like entrepreneurs and to take farming as a serious business.
"We will not be able to grow the agriculture sector by constantly pouring government grants into small and semi-subsistence farmers, as they need to grow and expand on their own after the grants and subsidies are given to them by the government."
In a government statement on Friday, Reddy highlighted the need for farmers in Fiji to make informed decisions and to invest their money on their own after receiving government assistance.
"We will realize the growth of the agriculture sector if farmers take out a portion of their profits and reinvest it back into their farms," he said.
He also reiterated that agricultural production must not be derived by government grants, subsidies and assistance as this wouldn't be sustainable in the long run, instead, it would build a culture of dependency and will retain and attract inefficient, part-time leisure farmers.
"The government doesn't want agriculture to be driven by grants and subsidies, rather we want agriculture growth and supply to be driven by the demands in the market and you play a major role in this as farmers," he said.
Reddy assured farmers of improved cattle breeds that would be supplied by the Fiji's Ministry of Agriculture, which would increase milk production on their farms.
Reddy, who concluded his tour of the Western side on Friday, said farmers raised agriculture, waterways, environmental and other related issues during his three-day consultative visits.
The Fijian government is pushing to improve agriculture production in the country.
