Farmers to register, carry ID cards

FARMERS will now have registration numbers.

The Ministry of Agriculture is building an app whereby buyers will soon be able to get details of the farmers and their commodities by just putting in place their registration numbers.

Ministry of Agriculture technical officer Adi Vuki Tuiverata said this would address the crops theft faced by many farmers in Fiji.

Ms Tuiverata raised this after Minister for Rural, Maritime Development and Disaster Management Sakiasi Ditoka asked Government officials in Qila what have been done to address crop theft issue on Taveuni Island.

“We have started giving out registration numbers to farmers,” she said.

She said farmers would be carrying around their registration number like their medical card.

“We have started to register farmers. It may take one and half year to register all farmers in Fiji,” she said

This was her response after a farmer of Qali, Randa Nand, said the soil sample sent to the Ministry of Agriculture for testing as a remedial for crop theft as brought up by the Divisional Commander of Police Northern Senior Superintendent Kemueli Baledrokadroka was not the best solution.

Mr Nand said the best solution was for farmers to have identification card.

SP Baledrokadroka, in response, said they were working with the ministry to solve crop theft on Taveuni.

“We will work hand in hand with our counterparts.”

In response, Mr Ditoka acknowledged the idea initiated by the ministry.

He said if someone was selling grog to buyers but did not have any commodity then that should be a question mark.