TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new agricultural development center opened in Fiji on Friday (June 14) as the result of a Taiwan-Fiji joint project.
The Centre for Agriculture Technology Transfer opened in Nausori, just outside the capital of Suva, and aims to boost the productivity, efficiency, and sustainability of Fiji’s agriculture sector, per Pasifika Environews. The Center is a collaboration between Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways and the Taiwan Technical Mission in Fiji, which is funded by the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF).
The construction of the center began in 2021, with funding of around NT$43 million (US$1.3 million) from Taiwan's government. Dubbed a “smart farm,” the development includes a training hall, laboratories, a smart nursery, staff accommodation, and demonstration fields.
The head of Taiwan’s representative office in Fiji Chen Yin-lien (陳盈連) said the integration of agriculture and technology at the center is “filled with hope and opportunity.” “The Smart Farm is not just a place for agricultural production but a holistic ecosystem that combines technology, environmental protection, and community sharing,” Chen said.
Development of banana crops has reportedly already begun at the center, and training for farmers producing bananas for export is expected to follow. Andrew Tukana, head of Fiji’s agriculture ministry, said at the opening that the country’s fruit sector is underdeveloped, and thanked Taiwan for its assistance in this area.
Tukana said he looks forward to continued cooperation with Taiwan to develop the sector. This hope was shared by ICDF Secretary-General Li Chao-cheng (李朝成) who was present at the center’s opening and said Taiwan will always stand with Fiji.
Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic relations with Fiji and maintains a trade office in the Pacific Island country. The trade office collaborates with the ICDF technical mission on development projects in the country.
According to its website, the ICDF currently has 51 technical cooperation projects in operation in mostly low-income countries, in areas including agriculture, disaster management, business development, and others.
