11 farmers to benefit from mechanised farming equipment and assistance from govt

We must continue to invest in our people and our resources.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica stated this as he handed over a farm tractor with a 3 disc plough and a 5.5ft rotovator worth $54,950.

Kamikamica says the contribution of the Waidamudamu Co-operative was $18,316.67 with a government grant of $36,633.33.

The purchase of the tractor is a partnership between the Ministry and the Waidamudamu Farmers Co-operative Limited under one of their grant programmes - Integrated Human Resoruce Development Programme (IHRDP).

Kamikamica further says the interventions of mechanized farming should increase production that will allow the full realization of the 100 percent tonnage as estimated.

The Deputy Prime Minister further says the impact of this assistance will benefit 11 co-operative members.

He adds while they maybe predominantly a sugarcane community, he encourages them to take more risk and diversify into other streams of income.

Kamikamica also says for instance, the tractor can be further utilized for land preparation on cultivation of other crops like rice that fetch $800 per tonne and ensuring food security, increase in family household incomes, improving living standards, housing, education and affordability of daily living expenses.

The Minister says not only will these cooperative members benefit, neighboring farmers can enjoy land preparation services offered by the Cooperative as an additional income stream.

He adds he believes that they must always look within instead of relying on other countries.