Tractors, Excavators Soon For West Farmers
Office of the PM signs Agent Agreement with government of Japan
Cane farmers in the Western Division can soon expect tractors and excavators before the planting season begins.
This will be possible after the government of Japan, through Japan International Co-operation System (JICS), extended its assistance of $1.8 million for the equipment.
The requests for excavators and tractors were made by cane farmers in the West during Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s tour in January.
To reaffirm this assistance the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister, Yogesh Karan, yesterday signed an agent agreement with the Charge de Affairs, Embassy of Japan, Tsugnuoshi Hada and JICS project manager, Akemi Nishikawa.
The signing was done at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Mr Karan said: “Another grant of $1.8 million has been extended by government of Japan this in particular for the areas which were affected by Cyclone Winston and in particular for the sugarcane belt areas. “We are going to use these funds to buy excavators and also some chainsaws for the outer islands whereby these falling trees will be ripped to use to make timber to rebuild homes.”
The excavators and tractors on the other hand will directly help the cane farmers to improve the flooding issues faced by them continuously as a result of the impact of climate change.
The initiative was part of the ongoing assistance by the Japanese government for the Tropical Cyclone Winston rehabilitation and recovery efforts. Japan had donated $5.8 million in 2016 through the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Natural Disasters Management.
Further to that, an Exchange of Notes was signed between Prime Minister Bainimarama, and Japanese Ambassador Takuji Hanatani in March this year aligned to the economic and social development programme of Japan.