Dialogue between the government, stakeholders of the agricultural sector and farmers in Tonga Featured
20 September 2018. The Acting Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFFF) Hon. Losaline Ma’asi opened a dialogue between the government, stakeholders of the agricultural sector and farmers in Tonga under the theme ‘Where we are – and where do we want to go?’ at Basilica’s conference room this morning.
The forum provides an opportunity for MAFFF and relevant ministries to update farmers’ representatives on programmes that have been implemented and to strengthen collaboration on upcoming initiatives.
Hon. Ma’asi said the forum also offer opportunities for representatives from different farming groups and agricultural sub-sectors such as root crops, fruits and vegetables and livestock. They provide updates on the current state and issues they are facing and to raise with government some of the pressing policy issues they are experiencing.
“I am in support of this very forum and look forward to further and on-going dialogue between the Government and the industry stakeholders to support each other in further development of the agricultural sector and to ensure it is able to realise its full potential as the predominant major economic activity in Tongan economy.”
She hoped that the dialogue will bring about strategic actions to address the current immediate needs in the sector.
“The gaps and challenges expected to be identified during the dialogue today and tomorrow will help with our way forward in the agricultural sector. We all rely on each other in this exercise and when one fails to progress, it will definitely affect the whole system which I’m sure we do not want to experience.”
She said that the government is ready to play its role to support initiatives from the forum in order to make it work for stakeholders and farmers.
The forum is funded by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. It was organized by local farming bodies including GroFed, Nishi Trading Company and the MORDI.
-MEIDECC
1 comment
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How many people will benefit from this get together ? Who are the stakeholders ? Isn't the three big companies MORDI, Gro Fed, Nishi Trading Company are the only ones that will profit from the outcome of this so called dialogue . Realistically for the local farmer to benefit from this , they'll have to plant their bush allotment with crops to feed ones own family also to sell . To plant enough for both sustenance and to sell , for the subsistence farmer that's not feasible , he does not have enough land unless he could acquire more land by leasing from other land holders he'll not be able to maintain his crop all year around . That's no problem for the BIG THREE they have the land and the funds so ! How's this dialogue going to affect or improve farmers lives ? , "Where we are ? We 're subsistence farming community , and where do we want to go " to be self sufficient with leftover to sell for cash all year around . A more realistic approach would be for the Ministry of agriculture to procure seeds or shoots , cutting , bulb , that are drought and disease resistant for the farmers to plant .