The Fiji sugar industry will see an improvement in the production of sugar and the livelihood of farmers.
This follows the European Union pledging FJ$11.5 million to support sugar research in Fiji.
One of the outcomes of the EU funded research will be the development of a seed multiplication system in Fiji which will produce sufficient quantities and a new high yielding sugar cane.
Half of the FJ$136 million funding will also be committed this year to improving 2000 km of sugar cane access roads, to upgrade fields drainage, to counter land erosion through reforestation of 6000 Ha and to provide more opportunities to the population depending on sugar cane farming through an expansion of the vocational training programme for another 1000 persons.
It is estimated that some 15,000 farmers and their dependents, a total population of 50,000 people, benefit directly from European Union support.
Story by: Gwen McGoon
