IN a bid to strengthen its working relationship with Government, the Fiji Crop and Livestock Council (FCLC) has moved from its offices in Lautoka into the Ministry of Primary Industries in Suva.
According FCLC chairman Simon Cole, the move conducted at the invitation of the Government, reflects the council’s aim of boosting the relationship for the benefit of its 14 commodity association members.
“We have been challenged working in the sugar belt on the western side. It was part of our funding requirements dictated by our funding agency,” Mr Cole said.
“But that contract has ended and we have turned to Government that originally created FCLC.
“By working directly with the Ministry in a location more central to our council members, we are now well positioned to better represent the farmers, through the mandate given to us when we were created by Cabinet in July of 2010.”
FCLC has 30,000 farmers now registered representing the pig, honey, dalo, yaqona, grazing livestock, ginger, cocoa, agri-exporters, rice, and organics associations that make up its council.
Meanwhile, Mr Cole said their present focus was on developing agricultural insurance, contract farming and cyclone rehabilitation work as well as serving on key agricultural committees.
