$330,000 UNCDF grant to fund savings and loan schemes for cane farmers

Sugar cane farmers have received a significant boost as the United Nations Capital Development Fund will be giving the Sugar Cane Growers Fund a grant of about $330,000, enabling the rollout of the Special Social Security Savings Scheme and the Revolving Loans Facility.

While making the announcements at Veisaru Sanatan Dharam School, Ba last night, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad says the Savings Scheme, developed in partnership with the Unit Trust of Fiji, will encourage farmers to build a safety net for emergencies and long-term farming needs while the Loans Facility is a digital platform providing emergency loans of up to $2,000 via M-PAiSA.

He says this will be the first such facility in the country, another milestone for rural financial empowerment.

The Deputy Prime Minister also launched the Sun Insurance–SCGF Limited Peril Cover which, effective from 1st September 2025, tailored for the realities of cane growers and their families.

Meanwhile, Ba Motor Parts has also been included in the Growers Fund Loyalty Program which will offer a generous 12.5 percent discount on spare parts, a direct saving for farmers, particularly those operating tractors and mechanical equipment.

Professor Prasad says whether through greater access to finance, rural insurance, or reward partnerships, these initiatives speak to a new vision for the sugar sector - one that restores dignity to farming, provides financial tools to cope with risk, and delivers tangible benefits to the field—not just the boardroom.

He says the Growers Fund, UNCDF, Sun Insurance, and Ba Motor Parts are showing what is possible when Government, development partners, and the private sector collaborate with purpose and integrity.

He is urging everyone to continue working together to build a sugar industry that is inclusive, resilient, and ready to meet the challenges of a changing world.