Panel Highlights People Power and Optimism
The Lautoka City Council has given Friend Fiji a two-acre plot to plant vegetables that will benefit Fijian families, who find themselves in difficult situations, during this pandemic.
The farm is being managed by the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, which is working closely with the Non-Government Organisation.
Founder and director of Friend Fiji, Sashi Kiran, in a robust panel discussions of the final season of Mai TV’s RESET Fiji, said the farm allowed people to walk into the farm and harvest vegetables.
Friend Fiji is in discussion with other municipal councils to adopt the same idea in other areas in the country.
Technology
Founder and Managing Director of TraSeable Solutions, Kenneth Katafono, says technology has played a big part during this pandemic.
“We started building traceable farms, agricultural platform, which essentially is supposed to be a one stop shop for anyone interested in agriculture or anyone involved in the agricultural value chain,” he said. He said the TraSeable Solutions app was also available on Google Play Store.
“People can utilise the app, which is like a digital market place, allowing people to buy and sell.”
Power of community
President of Fiji Planners Association, Mere Naulumatua, said there was a major disconnect between the local government and the ratepayers.
Ms Naulumatua said it was time for people to relearn our respective roles and responsibilities and understand what it meant to live in an urban area.
She also highlighted the lack of interest from communities during public consultations.
“Rarely do citizens, take that opportunity to make a comment, so citizens lose out on that important decision-making process,” she said.