The Fiji government has handed over an excavator worth FJD 105,000 to the Nakaubeqa Cooperative in Rewa Province under its Farm Mechanisation Programme, aiming to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen food security.
Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry Tomasi Tunabuna presented the machine to the cooperative in Waiqanake Village, with the government funding two-thirds of the cost and the cooperative contributing the remaining FJD 35,000 under a cost-sharing arrangement.
Tunabuna said the investment reflected the government's commitment to equipping farmers with modern machinery to improve efficiency and build a more resilient agricultural sector.
"This excavator is an investment in the future of the Nakaubeqa Cooperative and the livelihoods of its members," he said.
Established as a farming cluster in April 2021 at the Lakena Agriculture Station, the Nakaubeqa Cooperative has since grown into a registered commercial farming cooperative with 12 active members, including several young farmers.
The cooperative initially received 90 hours of land preparation support through the Ministry's Machinery Outsource Programme during the 2021–2022 financial year. As operations expanded, demand for mechanised services increased.
During the last financial year, the cooperative used 275 hours of excavator services valued at about FJD 22,000, accounting for nearly half of the Machinery Outsource Programme allocation for Rewa Province.
The cooperative grows dalo, cassava, vudi, watermelon, ginger, chillies, cabbage and a range of fruit crops, including citrus, soursop, coconuts and avocado. Its produce is sold at the Suva and Lami municipal markets, while monthly dalo shipments to Sai Yee Foods generate between FJD 3,000 and FJD 5,000, depending on market prices.
Income from farming has enabled members to invest in homes, vehicles, farm equipment and new business ventures, while supporting their families and expanding agricultural operations.
The cooperative plans to diversify into agro-processing within the next three to five years by harvesting, peeling and vacuum-packing produce for higher-value markets.
Nakaubeqa Cooperative President Uraia Rabakele welcomed the government's continued support, saying the excavator would improve land preparation, lower production costs and help members expand farming activities.
He said the Ministry's technical guidance had been instrumental in transforming the group from a small farming cluster into a commercially viable cooperative.
The excavator is expected to improve land preparation, increase production efficiency, reduce operating costs and support the cooperative's long-term growth as a sustainable agricultural enterprise.
