Fiji Ministers participate in inauguration of Demonstration Centre
Pacific Island Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries from eight different countries participated in the inauguration of the China-Pacific Island Countries Agriculture Cooperation Demonstration Centre on May 9, 2023, in Nanjing, China. With the approval of the State Council, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, the centre was set up at the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS), an institute directly under the leadership of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government.
During the inauguration, the Special Envoy to the Pacific Island Countries (PICs), Ambassador Qian Bo, highlighted the need for more collaboration and strengthened ties between all parties involved.
“We must focus on agriculture and fisheries technology. We need this to sustain our people and through the centre more people will be able to benefit as well as the economies of our respective countries,” Mr Bo said.
“Through this demonstration
centre, all participants will be able to learn more about smart practices in both agriculture and fisheries. It will be a centre for improved learning where we are able to share our expertise and, of course, our visions and dreams.”
Pacific Island countries will be able to send their technical officers, students and even farmers to the centre to learn more about the various technologies that will enhance their respective agriculture
and fisheries sectors.
Fiji’s head of delegation to the 2nd China-Pacific Island Countries Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers Meeting, Hon. Vatimi Rayalu, who is the Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, said that the Demonstration Centre opened up so many doors of opportunity for Fiji.
“We thank the People’s Republic of China for their vision and foresight and, of course, their willing
ness to lend a helping hand to the PICs. This is indeed a huge boost and we look forward to strengthening our collaboration through capacity building initiatives,” explained Mr Rayalu.
Fiji’s Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Hon. Kalaveti Ravu, shared the same sentiments and said that the demonstration centre will be a valuable asset to the PICs. “We have a lot to learn from advanced countries like China and we are grateful that they are assisting the PICs by building stronger collaboration through advanced learning and knowledge sharing,” said Mr Ravu.
The JAAS Institute boasts the best facilities in China in terms of research technology in the agriculture and fisheries fields and has produced some of the best researchers in the world.