22/09/2020  

The struggles of three Youth Clubs in Nadroga to make ends meet will now be a thing of the past thanks to the farming assistance by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Minister for Youth and Sports Hon.Parveen Bala handed over the farming assistance under its Youth Farm Initiative to the three Youth Clubs namely Nakabuta, Nakalavo and Naduri Youth Club. 

  Farming Tools donated to the clubs

  These youths received farming tools and equipment such as knapsack sprayers, files, shylon shades for a greenhouse along with vegetable seedlings and fertilizers.

The assistance will be a boost to their farming activities, helping to sustain food security and help feed their families and communities as well as generate income themselves.

The Ministry’s tractor will be used to plough the land at the Youth Training Centre in Nasau where these youth clubs undertake their farming projects.

 They will also be provided assistance to the youths in cleaning and preparing their land.           

“Since the launch of these youth farm projects a month ago we have seen huge success,” Minister Bala said.

“It involved the utilization of vacant land in rural areas for families. We also work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture in getting these projects off the ground.”

He also attributed the success to the youth groups for their active participation, adding that the Fijian Government trusts in their potential and responsibility in the roll-out of grants for their initiatives in their local areas. 

3 Youth Club Presidents

President of Naduri Youth Club Mr Mitieli Vunaki expressed his gratitude to the ministry for the assistance. Vunaki said they had been helping family members who had lost their parents who they had relied on for assistance as the breadwinners of the family.

President of Nakalavo Youth Club Mr Etuate Nete shared similar sentiments in that the assistance will make a positive difference.

“We were helping cleaning up the village, fundraising and helping disabled people,” he said.

Meanwhile President of Nakabuta Youth Club Mr Inoke Kadralevu said the assistance would help further boost the farming project they were already working on.

Minister Bala encouraged the youth clubs to utilise unused land for agricultural purposes.
“I must acknowledge the landowners for providing consent to these youth clubs to utilise the land for farming.”