Rice along with root crops is now a staple food for all Fijians, with an annual per capita consumption of 75 kg. Fijis heavy reliance on imported rice is estimated at FJD 40 million (US$ 21.14 million) annually for approximately 50,000 tonnes of rice.

Rice has been cultivated for many decades in Fiji with mixed results. During the early eighties, two thirds of the national demand for rice was fulfilled by domestic production; however, the production trend started to fall drastically as a result of the deregulation policies and lack of appropriate production technologies for farmers impacting national food security.

The Government of Fiji is committed to revitalize the rice industry and ensure the reduction of rice imports by FJD 35 million (US$ 18.5 million) by year 2020. This is planned to be achieved through increased acreage under rice production (from 4 400 ha to 17 400 ha) and increased productivity through extension of improved rice cultivation technologies. The Government of Fiji established a National Rice Taskforce in September 2004 to coordinate the country’s rice revitalization programme.

In support of this initiative, FAO will launch the First Season-Long Training of Trainers on Integrated Rice Crop Management Technical Cooperation Project under the National Rice Revitalization Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture in October 2014. This project will be implemented over two years and amounts to USD$333,000 in funding.

“The proposed assistance cover technical and financial supports to the Training of Trainers’ and support Farmer’s Field School work in all aspects of Rice Crop Management including technical support, supervisory and advisory services from the FAO team in Headquarters and our regional office. This initiative is in line with FAO’s sustainable crop intensification policy, ensuring sustainable and effective use of rice-based farming systems’ ecosystem goods and services, as outlined in the Save and Grow initiative. It also contributes to FAO’s ongoing Management capacity building work in Asia under the Regional Rice Initiative,” said Viliami Fakava, Plant and Protection Officer for FAOSAP.

Reviving the local rice industry requires developing a core network of experts who can train rice farmers across the country on cost-reduction and sustainable techniques for rice production, through dynamic and relevant approaches. The season-long Training of Trainers aims to equip rice field staff and selected progressive farmers with the necessary knowledge and skills to impart the latest rice production technologies to farmers thereby increasing sustainable rice production and productivity.