Page 31 - IB June 2019

Business
FIJI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

• NEW SKILLS • PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE • REAL OPPORTUNITIES

Professor Paul Iji Reijieli Vueti
Dean College of Agriculture, Bachelor of Veterinary Science
Fisheries and Forestry and Animal Husbandry
“My vision is to strengthen “I have a passion for
postgraduate programmes animals. Studying at FNU
to enhance our research in has been great since my
agricultural sectors. This programme involves a lot
will provide a higher level of eld practicals on our
of understanding and farms and clinical practical
manpower for the country in our labs and SPCA. My
and at the same time aim after graduating is
promote national to become a quali ed
development.” local veterinarian.”

Dr Visoni Timote Manasa Takala
Plant Pathologist
Secretariat of the Paci c Team Leader Lovu and Nadi in flood in 2016 Photo: Fiji government
Community Lautoka Sector - FSC
“FNU built a springboard “In order to truly
platform for where I am understand and be part of
today. While studying at the dynamic ADB funds flood management project
FNU, it moved my attention agricultural sector, one
to divert into the speci c must have hands on
eld I wanted to carry on in training in the eld.
life. I will always accredit Japan’s Yachiyo Engineering Company for additional survey of
and thank FNU for The practical experience
providing me that I received, helped me the first stage in what is expected to be a three-stage Nadi River
springboard platform to become a key contributor Flood Control Project.
leap to where I am today.” to the Fiji Sugar
industry.” Following the historic annual ADB meeting in Nadi in May this
year, it was announced that a US$2 million grant (F$4.3m) to be
delivered in the form of technical assistance, has been confirmed
Esala Tikoduadua Ritesh Chand By Dionisia Tabureguci for the project.
Aquaponic Technician Lecturer – Agricultural The funds will help in the identification of the best flood al-
Economics YEARS of scoping work on how to manage flooding in flood- leviation investment that will help reduce economic and social
“There has never been “FNU provides a wide prone Nadi town may finally translate into physical work as losses and loss of life from floods in Nadi as well as consider
any aquaponic in Fiji. range of career construction work on a Nadi River flood management project is future scenarios in population growth, change in land use and
Aquaponics can be opportunities for expected to begin as early as next year. climate change.
built anywhere, in students who
towns, at your backyards have a keen interest in Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office in Suva Tachiiri said a further detailed study about the scope of the
or at a commercial level. Masayuki Tachiiri said funding for the project is included in work to be done as well as some civil engineering work will be
FNU promotes these type Agricultural ADB’s Country Partnership Strategy for Fiji for 2019 to 2023, carried out in the initial stages.
of innovative ideas that sector or those seeking
have national impact.” to gain entrepreneurship which comes in the form of aid, technical assistance and loans “Together with this engineering or hardware intervention, we
skills.” for projects valued at US$600 million (F$1.3 billion). will also introduce some soft measures, such as early warnings
“I understand this project has been discussed for a while in or better institutional set up to reduce flood damage in Nadi
this country and the Japanese Government had helped the Fiji town,” he said.
“We will restart further study on this project then later this year
Asinate Moroca Mohammed Government to do a Master Plan some years ago. We also had a or early next year, we will start the procurement work. So the
feasibility study done so we expect to work with Fiji on enhanc-
HOD Forestry Altazeem Khan
College of Agriculture, Fisheries Bachelor of Science ing resilience to natural disasters through the protection of the actual construction work will perhaps start in 2020 or even 2021.”
and Forestry in Agriculture greater Nadi area. This will probably be in partnership with the Commenting on the announcement, Ministry of Economy’s
“I was the third woman Government of Japan through the Japan International Corpora- Permanent Secretary Makereta Konrote said Fiji has experienced
“I would like to start my
appointed as Principal at own business. There has tion Agency (JICA) and we’re also talking to other development more than one flood annually for the last 40 years, the worst
the Fiji College of not been much sustainable
Agriculture in 2009. When farming in Fiji and after I partners about potential co-financing,” Tachiiri said. ones experienced in 2004, 2009, 2012 and two events in 2014.
I started 29 years ago, graduate from FNU and Nadi town is a thriving centre for Fiji’s tourism and sugar cane “Urgent action is needed now on adaptation and building
there were very few get my degree, I will industries and is the commercial pulse of Fiji’s economy, but is resilience and we are pleased to partner with ADB to advance
women in the eld of subject to flooding whenever there is heavy rain.
Agriculture. Its pleasing venture into sustainable project development,” she said.
to see more women joining farming.” Solutions that have been considered in the past included re- In January 2009, widespread flooding ravaged large areas of
the eld.” locating the town and surrounding villages to higher ground as Fiji, claimed 11 lives, left 12,000 people homeless and caused
well as diversion of rivers, but to date, nothing has eventuated. damage to the tune of F$113 million (US$53million).
#ichoosefnu tance to conduct a feasibility study for the Nadi River Basin area. infrastructure design and risk management considerations into
In 2014, the Japanese Government provided technical assis-
The ADB said it has begun to incorporate climate-resilient
In December last year, the partnership culminated in the sign-
r dtabureguci@gmail.com
ing of a contract agreement between the Fiji Government and its investments across the Pacific.
www.fnu.ac.fj
Islands Business, June 2019 31