Rising fuel costs to affect food prices and supply - Agriculture Minister

Families could soon feel the impact of rising food costs as the fuel crisis begins to affect farming and food production.

Minister for Agriculture Tomasi Tunabuna says the crisis is expected to increase farming costs and may lead to limited supply due to global fuel issues.

Tunabuna says many farming operations, including processing and transportation, rely heavily on fuel, and the shift towards mechanisation and technology will also be affected.

He says the Ministry is actively engaging with farming communities, providing advice on how to reduce fuel use, cut costs and adopt more efficient farming practices.

He says government support programmes for farmers will continue, including the provision of seeds, seedlings and organic liquid fertiliser, and people can reach out to the Ministry for assistance.

He adds that efforts are underway to review and improve assistance and seek additional funding to address the impact of the crisis.

The Minister is also encouraging people to take up backyard farming to help reduce the cost of living, saying this has proven effective in urban and peri-urban areas, where people can grow vegetables at home in pots or directly in the soil.

He says he has seen many successful examples of backyard farming, with families growing their own food at home.

He says using old tyres for planting can also help reduce mosquito breeding, as they prevent stagnant water from collecting.

He adds that crops like cabbages can provide a continuous supply, while eggplants and leafy vegetables like bele can be planted once and harvested throughout the season.