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Recovery Assistance
TC Winston Recovery Action assists commercial farmers

Cocoa farmer Sailasa Saqanamulevu from Lutu Village, Naitasiri, standing in the Cocoa Dryer Unit provided by the IACT Project TC Winston Recovery Action. This is part
of the assistance provided to the cocoa sector. Photo: SPC
developmental step up in sustainable and the lead cocoa buyer in organic and
and resilient trade,” added Dr Colin Tu- ethical training standards, and the comple- ... as a scientific and
kuitonga, Director-General of The Pacific tion of UTZ certification, which is the larg- ‘ technical agency, the
Community (SPC). est internationally recognised organic and Pacific Community was
An example is the assistance provided to ethical standard for Cocoa. not only identifying
the Cocoa sector in Fiji. Cocoa was histori- In brief, the recovery support has re-
cally an important export crop in Fiji, but habilitated the plantations, improved the what physical damages
exports of the resource have dwindled as crop husbandry of the farmers, solved key required support and the
international competitiveness and qual- quality control issues in the value chain provision of equipment
ity control requirements have increased and enabled UTZ certification to improve
dramatically. their competitiveness in the export market. and materials for
After TC Winston, the action took the Crop diversification was identified early rebuilding but asking how
initiative to contract local cocoa manufac- on as a key strategic recovery focus. Yaqo- best our support could
turer, Adi Chocolate, who worked closely na (Kava) is a four year crop and several
with the Ministry of Agriculture to clear coastal communities have had their crops result in a developmental
cocoa plantations whilst teaching cocoa destroyed. Whilst the farmers have been step up in a sustainable
farmers best pruning practices. assisted to replant, additional support with and resilient trade ...
Cocoa farmer groups were supported training and the procurement of equipment ‘
through the construction of three fermen- has enabled the farmers to diversify into
ter and drying stations and training in their vegetable farming which has created a
management and quality control. The final revolving short-term income.
part of assistance was to train the farmers n Continued overleaf - SPC Director-General Dr Colin Tukuitonga

Islands Business, March 2017 23