50 farmers benefit from Government’s Backyard Gardening Initiative
Fifty subsistence farmers from the Suvavou and Lami Village communities were distributed with seedlings and backyard gardening materials at the Lami village hall yesterday.
This is part of the Government’s initiative to promote backyard gardening in communities and improving physical fitness while promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development Jale Sigarara while officiating at the distribution said Backyard
Gardening can be viewed as a factor that could alleviate poverty while being a source of nutrition to most households.
“For those who do not have a large yard for gardening, you do not have to feel left out,” Mr Sigarara said.
This initiative will help you grow many of your favourite vegetables and even sell the surplus to generate extra income for your families,” he said.
“I can say that Backyard Gardening offers many positives to people who engage in and I strongly encourage you to start practicing backyard gardening in your various communities.
Backyard gardening packages
He said: “Today, we distributed to selected households a Backyard Gardening package which includes eggplant seedlings, tomato seedlings, and a packet each of long beans, cowpeas, okra and fruit trees.”
He said the Ministry is implementing this programme to target urban and peri-urban areas to positively impact the lives of ordinary Fijians wherever they are.
“This initiative of backyard gardening will be introduced to households in the four geographical divisions.
“The Ministry is targeting the urban and peri-urban households for obvious reasons.
“In comparing to those in rural areas, many of those living in urban and peri-urban areas are always challenged by limited land area and space for planting basic vegetables.”