Minister for Agriculture Dr Mahendra Reddy says their Agriculture COVID-19 Response initiative has been suspended for two weeks as they are focusing on rehabilitation efforts for Tropical Cyclone Harold.
Dr Reddy says they have dispatched a team of 20 officials, consisting of technical officers, paravets and commodity specialists to assist and support farmers and people as an immediate response to TC Harold.
He says the ministry has supplied kumala cuttings, vegetable seeds, essential and immediate veterinary supplies that include antibiotics, pig de-wormers, anti-diarrhoea medicines and vitamins to farmers in Kadavu, Vatulele, Malolo Island, Yasawa and Lau Groups.
He says they supplied emergency veterinary kits so that officers can attend to livestock which might have been injured during the cyclone and also 15 coils of wire for villages in Kadavu and Lau to confine their livestock which may have gone astray due to the cyclone and poses a threat to their root crops.
Reddy has also assured that the Ministry would ensure that everyone has a continuous supply of locally grown fresh, nutritious produce throughout these trying times.
He adds the Ministry of Agriculture has also suspended its Agriculture COVID-19 Response initiative as it focuses efforts on rehabilitating TC Harold affected areas.
The Agriculture COVID-19 Response initiative will resume on the 4th of May, 2020.
