Caption: New rural farm road in the interior of Macuata covering 10.9 kilometers to Nubusoqosoqo and neighbouring communities.
SUVA – Key infrastructural projects have been implemented under the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management’s Rural Outer Island (ROI) Development Programme in the last financial year.
The ROI Development Programme was allocated a budget of $2.5 million in the 2023/2024 financial year.
Of the 50 projects implemented under the Programme across the four divisions in the last financial year, the majority included the construction of rural farm roads.
In the Northern Division, 75.5km of rural farm roads were constructed, connecting the interior of Macuata and Cakaudrove provinces. The road constructions cuts across three major different routes – the Kedra-Sese Road and the Nasasa to Valevoni Road, and a connecting road to Nubusoqosoqo. Communities in these regions walk more than 10km to reach the main road for transportation. More than 77,000 people reside in these two rural provinces.
In the Western Division, 16.9km of rural farm roads were constructed, covering the highlands of Ba in Nadala, Ratalevu, Nadrau, Natawa, Navunitawa and Nasaucoko.
The main rural farm roads constructed in the Central Division were at Mau, Nakavika and Vunidavo in the province of Namosi.
To boost the local rural economy, the Ministry has also worked closely with other key agencies of Government by supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the rural areas to progress, grow and strengthen their capacity and efficiencies.
Permanent Secretary for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Mr. Isoa Talemaibua says the types of projects implemented under the ROI Programme are defined from the needs of the communities, those that are served by the District Advisory Councils, and the iTaukei Affairs Board.
“Given the amount of budget allocated from the Ministry of Finance, the ROI Programme focused on three main sectors including the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors. Access is key to develop these sectors for farmers, markets, women, children, the senior citizens and those with special needs. Two areas of support that we provided for the agriculture sector were livestock and construction of rural farm roads. The forestry sector is supported to strengthen manufacturing of logs to enhance the key roles of wood carvers, and those operating in processing timber to make household furniture,” said Mr. Talemaibua.
In this new financial year, the Ministry will complete the current works of rural farm roads construction to improve transportation access, and work with key agencies on scaling up the current infrastructure for their inventories to be maintained.
“The major objective for the Ministry in the next financial year or within these three years is to ensure that all rural communities in Fiji have access to roads or pontoon jetties for our coastal communities. Rural infrastructure access remains the key component of unlocking the potentials in communities and their reach to public services – education, health, markets, and utilities.”
More information about the programme can be found on the Ministry’s website at: www.ruraldev.gov.fj
