Food leakage is a challenge for tourism industry - Gavoka

One of the huge challenges in the tourism industry is the leakage factor in the sense of what leaves the country to be imported or what's to service our industry and one of the significant parts of this is food.

While officiating at the opening of the 2024 Agriculture Show in Valelevu today, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka says his interest in agriculture is to reduce that leakage where Fiji can provide food locally for many of our tourists.

Gavoka says Fiji hosts close to a million visitors every year and on some occasions, we are charged to feed a million visitors in Fiji.

He says Fiji is looking at 4 or 5 million visitors but it is important that we plan our future well and be able to provide for our tourists locally.

He adds the challenge is there and we must ensure that all Fijians, regardless of their location, have access to affordable and healthy food.

Gavoka says one of the biggest challenges today in the UN and other international bodies is food security and it is to ensure that our people are secure in terms of food.

The Deputy Prime Minister reveals that Fiji's exports of fresh and chilled products increased by 16 percent between January and June this year, while imports of fresh and chilled goods dropped by 3 percent, saving Fiji some $17 million.

Gavoka says while this progress is commendable, we must strive for improvement, and from the government initiatives to private sector partnerships, it is important to create a platform that supports our farmers, providing them with the necessary resources, training, and market access they need.

He says the efforts and interventions must empower all farmers and stakeholders, regardless of gender, age, or background, to actively participate in the development of the sector, and by doing so, we tap into a wealth of diverse ideas and practices that will enhance our agricultural resilience.

He adds that the youth and women are vital to this transformation as they bring fresh perspectives and energy, and it is important to harness this to develop the sector further.

The 2024 Agriculture Show is currently underway at the Valelevu ground and will end this Friday.