Caption: Former security officer Mr. Anare Kuruduadua at his newly developed fish pond at Vunilagi Settlement in Cakaudrove.

SAVUSAVU – Former security officer Mr. Anare Kuruduadua believes an assistance he received from the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management will enable him to expand his farm into a commercially driven venture to support his small family.

Mr Kuruduadua started his farm at Vunilagi Settlement in the district of Naweni, Cakaudrove three years ago.

The father-of-three is among the hundreds of Fijians who resorted to utilizing their land due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He had been working as a security officer in Iraq for the past 17 years, until he returned home in 2019.

Today, Mr Kuruduadua owns eight fish ponds, and also plants yaqona, root crops and vegetables.

Mr Kuruduadua’s income generation project (IGP) was recently supported through the Ministry’s Self-Help Programme (SHP) at a cost of more than $15,000.

“I am so thankful that the Government was able to help me through the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development. This has really saved me a lot of money,” he said.

“I have plans to keep growing my farm and slowly move into commercializing it to earn more money.”

The Ministry had assisted his IGP venture with the land preparation for four of his fish ponds, and the provision of water pipes and fish feeds.

Mr Kuruduadua currently breeds tilapia, prawns and grasscarp in his eight fish ponds.

In commissioning the project, Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka said support towards such ventures was important in reviving the economy.

“The rural economy has a lot of potentials and is an important component of reviving the economy for Fiji. We will be looking at all the untapped areas across Fiji, and this is a great example,” Hon. Ditoka said.

Caption: Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Hon. Sakiasi Ditoka cuts the ribbon to commission an income generation project for Mr. Anare Kuruduadua which was supported by the Ministry.

-ENDS-

The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management is responsible for implementing development strategies that bring Fijians living in rural and maritime regions the same level of access to essential services and economic opportunities as anywhere else in the country. We coordinate and implement the Fiji Government’s rural and maritime development initiatives with a mission to empower Fiji’s rural sector. We also spearhead disaster risk reduction initiatives at national and sub-national level including disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. We have offices for each of Fiji’s 14 provinces including Rotuma, leading the Fiji Government’s rural development and disaster risk management operations.

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For press enquiries: Aqela Susu, MRMDDM, Tel. +679 3216456/+679 9985670,

Email: aqela.susu@govnet.gov.fj/susuaqela@gmail.com