Salutation
- The Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, Honourable Tomasi Tunabuna;
- Fellow Ministers, Assistant Ministers & Members of Parliament;
- Senior Government Officials and representative of Government Ministries and Agencies;
- Ki Caumatalevu, Vua na Gone Turaga Na Tu Macuata & Distinguished Traditional Leaders;
- Development Partners;
- Farmers, exhibitors, researchers, agribusiness operators, students and teachers; and
- Ladies and Gentlemen.
Ni Sa Bula Vina’a and a very good morning to you all.
Let me first begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we gather today, ki Wasavulu na Turaga na Tui Labasa
I pay my respects to their Chiefs, past and present, as well as emerging leaders and I acknowledge their enduring role within the Vanua, we remain grateful for their custodianship, which allowed us to gather here for this important event.
Introduction
- It is my great pleasure to officially open the 2026 National Agriculture Show and launch Fiji’s National Coconut Day celebrations.
- Today, we celebrate our farmers, our agricultural communities and everyone contributing to the development of Fiji’s agricultural sector. The Show is about more than agriculture. It is about Fiji’s economic future.
- It is fitting that we gather in Labasa, at the heart of Vanua Levu’s agricultural economy. The North has enormous potential to produce more, process more, export more and create greater opportunities for our people.
Green Growth, Golden Gains
- The theme of this year’s Show is: “Green Growth, Golden Gains: Advancing Agriculture through Innovation, Diversification, Value Addition for a Resilient and Prosperous Fiji.”
- This theme captures what we must achieve. We must produce more, produce better, produce consistently, use our land, water, labour, technology and capital more productively, reduce waste, improve quality, add value and connect our farmers to reliable markets.
- The future of agriculture cannot be based only on increasing the volume of what we produce. It must be based on higher productivity, stronger businesses, better technology, greater value addition and improved returns to farmers.
- This is how agriculture can make a much greater contribution to Fiji’s economic transformation. Our ambition is to lift Fiji’s economic growth towards 6 per cent and build the foundations for Fiji to become a high-income economy by 2050.
- Agriculture has an important role in helping us achieve that ambition.
Agriculture and Fiji’s Economic Transformation
- Agriculture is not a sector on the margins of our economy. It is central to our food security, rural livelihoods, employment, exports, import substitution and national resilience.
- Agriculture’s reported contribution to real GDP has increased from approximately 6.5 per cent in 2014 to 12.8 per cent in 2024. This demonstrates the growing importance of the sector to our economy.
- Agriculture must therefore move from being primarily a producer of raw commodities to becoming a stronger commercial, value-adding and export-oriented sector.
- This means increasing yields, improving farm management, reducing post-harvest losses, better storage, processing, packaging and logistics and stronger market information and access to finance and producing to the standards required by domestic, regional and international markets.
- Productivity must become a central measure of progress. The question should not only be how much land we cultivate or how many crops we produce. We should also ask how much value we create from each hectare, each worker, each investment and each unit of water and other resources.
- Higher productivity will raise farm incomes, strengthen rural businesses, improve our competitiveness and create the economic space needed for further investment.
Celebrating the Coconut Industry
- Today, we also celebrate the Coconut Day — coconut rightly known as the “Tree of Life”. Coconut provides food, income, materials and livelihoods for communities across Fiji.
- More than 61,500 hectares of land are under coconut cultivation, with the Northern and Eastern Divisions accounting for a significant share of production.
- Yet we face a major challenge. Approximately half of Fiji’s coconut plantations, covering more than 30,000 hectares, are considered senile and require rehabilitation or replanting. This is a challenge, but it is also an economic opportunity.
- Rehabilitating these plantations can increase productivity, strengthen household incomes and provide a more reliable supply of raw materials for local processing and export.
- Government is establishing coconut nurseries across all four agricultural divisions and strengthening the capacity of technical officers. The distribution of seedlings is expected to begin in early 2027.
- But Government cannot deliver this transformation alone. Coconut rehabilitation must be a partnership between farmers, landowners, communities, Government, researchers, financial institutions, development partners and the private sector.
From Coconut Production to a Modern Industry
- Our ambition must go beyond producing more coconuts. We must build a modern coconut industry that creates more value from every coconut produced. This means stronger processing, better products, improved branding, reliable quality and access to higher-value markets.
- We should encourage investment in coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, food products, cosmetics, fibre, charcoal and other commercially viable products. Where appropriate, we should also promote intercropping and integrated farming.
- Diversification gives farmers more than one source of income. It also makes farming systems more resilient to market and climate shocks. Our objective should be clear: move from raw production to value creation. That is where greater income and greater economic contribution will come from.
Food Security and Import Substitution
- Food security is an essential part of national security. Global disruptions, climate events, conflicts and supply-chain pressures can quickly affect the availability and price of food.
- Fiji cannot produce everything we consume. But where we have the land, knowledge, farmers and resources to produce competitively, we must strengthen domestic production.
- Reducing avoidable food imports keeps more money within Fiji. It creates markets for farmers, supports rural businesses and strengthens our resilience.
- At the same time, food security and agricultural exports must not be treated as competing objectives. A productive sector can feed our people and supply competitive products to regional and international markets. Our goal must be to produce more food, better quality products and greater economic value.
Building Partnerships for Growth
- Government has an important role, but Government cannot transform agriculture alone. The transformation we seek requires a stronger partnership between Government, farmers, landowners, businesses, financial institutions, researchers, universities, development partners and communities.
- The private sector must play a greater role in investment, processing, technology, logistics, market development and export growth. Government’s role is to create the right conditions — clear policies, appropriate infrastructure, effective regulation, research, extension services and access to opportunities.
- Development partners can help us build capacity and introduce new technologies. Financial institutions can develop products that respond to the realities of farming. Researchers can help farmers improve productivity and develop new products And businesses can connect farmers to markets.
- We must move towards stronger agricultural value chains where farmers are not simply suppliers of raw materials, but active participants in value creation. That is how we can increase the share of the final value that returns to our farmers and communities.
Women and Young People
- We must also recognise the important contribution of women to farming, food production, processing, marketing and rural enterprise. Women must have equitable access to finance, technology, training, land-use opportunities and markets.
- Our young people must also see agriculture as an industry of the future. Modern agriculture requires science, engineering, technology, digital skills, business management, marketing and entrepreneurship.
- We need young Fijians not only to farm, but also to become researchers, agronomists, technicians, processors, exporters, innovators and agricultural entrepreneurs. This is essential for renewing the sector and creating productive employment in our rural communities.
Agriculture, Nutrition and Productivity
- Agriculture also has an important role in improving the health and productivity of our people. Fiji continues to face a serious burden of non-communicable diseases, with significant social and economic costs.
- Agriculture can be part of the solution. Increasing the availability and affordability of locally produced fruits, vegetables, root crops and other nutritious foods can support healthier diets while creating stronger markets for farmers.
- A healthier population is also a more productive population. This means agriculture contributes not only to food security and economic growth, but also to the quality and productivity of our workforce.
Climate Resilience and Preparedness
- We must also recognise the growing impact of climate variability and climate change on agriculture. Current forecasts indicate the possibility of drier conditions through the end of 2026 and into early 2027.
- Farmers should prepare early for water shortages, heat stress and pressure on crops and livestock. This means conserving water, strengthening irrigation, protecting livestock, maintaining soil moisture, diversifying crops, safeguarding farm inputs and strengthening local food reserves.
- Climate resilience must become part of normal agricultural planning.
Agriculture and the Future of Vanua Levu
- The North has land, natural resources, farmers, communities and an emerging base for investment and enterprise. We must create the conditions for these assets to generate greater economic value.
- Programmes such as Na Vualiku form part of this wider effort to unlock the potential of Vanua Levu. Our focus must be on ensuring that farmers, landowners, women, young people and businesses participate in and benefit from this growth.
- The development of the North must therefore be measured not only by the projects we deliver, but by the businesses we create, the incomes we raise, the jobs we generate and the value we add to the resources of the region.
A Shared Economic Ambition
- Ladies and gentlemen, Fiji’s 6 per cent growth aspiration cannot be achieved by Government alone. It will require a whole-of-economy effort. Every farmer who improves productivity contributes. Every business that invests in processing contributes. Every researcher who develops a better farming method contributes.Every young person who chooses agriculture and builds a successful enterprise contributes. Every development partner that helps us strengthen our productive capacity contributes.
- This is the partnership we need. We must move from a model where Government is expected to provide everything to one where Government creates the enabling environment and farmers, communities and businesses become stronger drivers of investment, productivity and growth.
- Our ambition is not simply to grow more. Our ambition is to create more value, earn more from what we produce, build competitive industries and improve the incomes and livelihoods of our people. That is how agriculture can help Fiji move towards a high-income economy.
Conclusion
- Ladies and gentlemen, today we celebrate our farmers, our agricultural communities and the natural resources that sustain our nation. But we must also look ahead.
- The next phase of agriculture must be defined by productivity, innovation, diversification, value addition, investment and strong partnerships.
- Let us use this National Agriculture Show to connect ideas with investment, research with production, farmers with markets and Government with the private sector and our communities.
- Let us build an agricultural sector that produces nutritious food for our people, creates profitable businesses, generates decent livelihoods and competes successfully in regional and international markets.
- Let us also ensure that the growth of agriculture contributes directly to our national ambition of achieving sustained 6 per cent economic growth and positioning Fiji as a high-income economy by 2050.
- The opportunity is before us. Our responsibility is to work together to realise it.
- It now gives me great pleasure to declare the 2026 National Agriculture Show and Fiji’s National Coconut Day celebrations officially open.
- May God bless our farmers, our agricultural communities and all those working for the prosperity of Fiji.
- May God bless Fiji. Vinaka Vakalevu.
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