SEVERAL sugar cane growers around the country are sharing knowledge through a practical and hands-on demonstration that enhances the educational process.
These knowledge sharing are basically things like field demonstrations, guided sampling activities and combine harvesting demonstrations which are valuable for any grower.
The initiative, also known as Grower Field Day, are practical knowledge sharing sessions that involves discussion exchanges between the trainer, usually an established grower and an audience, usually a group of growers.
The Grower Field Day initiative is funded by the European Union and facilitated by the Pacific Community (SPC) and coordinated by the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC).
According to FSC, through grower field days, the training farmer imparts some farming techniques and skills that he or she has applied successfully in their farms.
The initiative is aimed at introducing growers and agricultural professionals to new technologies and techniques so that the audience could see how these technologies or techniques could be practically used and applied.
FSC recently hosted a Grower Field Day in the farm of Mohammed Mustak, a large cane producer in the Drumasi sector, Tavua.
This was attended by 56 growers and was officially opened by FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark.
The topic discussed at this field day was weed control on plant cane – use of pre emergence.
FSC, in a statement, said grower field days have been found to be beneficial around the world in showing growers and agricultural professionals yield management and monitoring systems, techniques for soil sampling and a host of other farming processes.
In 2017, Mr Mustak produced 393 tons of cane and is looking increase that to 450 tons this season.
At the Drumasi Field Day, Mr Mustak shared his vast experience and knowledge on weed control and the importance of applying pre-emergence weedicide during the cane planting season.
The FSC has also planned a total of 30 Grower Field Days which is scheduled this year, almost one per sugar cane sector in both Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
