Minister Ravu Delivers Country Statement Highlighting Prioritisation of Country and Regional Needs
The
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Honourable Kalaveti Ravu is currently
attending the 37th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the
Pacific taking place in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
On Tuesday, Hon. Ravu delivered Fiji’s Country Statement at the conference highlighting the prioritisation of country and regional needs.
While addressing the forum, Hon. Ravu said Fiji is deeply connected to the land and the sea and therefore recognises the vital importance of sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forests in ensuring food security, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability for its people and future generations.
He said that while Fiji recognises the former, it is also a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) and faces numerous structural challenges in sustainably developing its agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors and is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
“All of these impact the food and nutrition security and livelihoods of our people. Building resilience in our agri-food systems is therefore a critical priority for Fiji,” Hon. Ravu said.
In his statement, the Honourable Minister also said that Fiji has prioritised the implementation of adaptation strategies to build resilience in the face of extreme weather events and changing environmental conditions by promoting and investing in climate-smart agriculture techniques such as agroforestry, use of drought resistant crop varieties and water management practices to ensure the long-term viability of our agricultural sector.
“Fiji is also dedicated to sustainable capture fisheries and aquaculture practices that ensure the long-term health of its marine resources and support the livelihoods of its coastal communities. Fiji is working to promote responsible fishing practices and sustainable aquaculture development to meet the growing demand for seafood while preserving our oceans for future generations,” Hon. Ravu said.
Furthermore, Hon. Ravu acknowledged the technical assistance and capacity building initiatives provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO) in strengthening resilience of Fiji’s fisheries sector, enabling the country to better adapt to the challenges posed by climate change and overfishing.
He also delivered a statement on the Third Joint FAO and Pacific Community (SPC) Ministers for Agriculture and Forestry Meeting during the conference.
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