THE Fiji Crop and Livestock Council (FCLC) advises all agri-business owners and farmer organisations to base their goals on realistic visions specific to their demographics, commodity marketability, budgets and resources, says chief executive officer Jiu Daunivalu.
In a statement yesterday, Ms Daunivalu said the practice of strategic planning would act as a catalyst to higher productivity, improving income and livelihoods, while ensuring food security with nutritious and healthy food systems, and sustainable land management.
Members of the commodity farmer associations participated in a strategic planning workshop conducted by the FCLC where they were able to learn the advantages of strategising visions into realistic goals.
Workshop participant and president of the Fiji Mushroom Farmers Association, Susan Pocock, said the workshop was of immense benefit to association members.
“The oyster mushrooms we market are a relatively new commodity in Fiji and such training has definitely helped our association in terms of direction and capitalising on our potential,” Ms Pocock said.
FCLC plans to continue with similar trainings and workshops in the new year to regularly review and assess farmers and farmers organisations performance, trends in agri-food systems, and emerging market opportunities.
The workshop, which was recently held at the Southern Cross Hotel in Suva, supports the modernising of the agricultural sector by “organising and strengthening” members of farmer organisations as entrepreneurs and partners in agri-business.
