The Ministry of Agriculture has made progress on some of the recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in its 2nd Annual Review 2022-23 and Other Reviews report that was tabled in Parliament late last month.

Secretary of Agriculture Temarama Anguna-Kamana said: “We have progressed on some of the recommendations of the PAC Committee specifically with establishing a formal communication framework with the Pa Enua.”
Anguna-Kamana said they were reviewing memorandum of understanding arrangements with the Pa Enua and developing a policy framework to reinstate the fertiliser revolving fund.

The PAC had recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture improve its coordination with the Pa Enua to align agricultural development across all islands. The Committee also said the Ministry must ensure work programmes are aligned, and it must provide regular updates and direct support to the Pa Enua

According to the PAC, there were issues of financial limitations that continues to impact the Ministry’s ability to support farmers, including; no funding increases for the past three years, limiting the Ministry’s ability to purchase farming inputs and provide essential support to farmers. The rising costs of fertiliser that was exacerbated by the removal of the Ministry’s fertiliser revolving fund, resulting in higher expenses for farmers.

The PAC further recommended that the Ministry present a well-documented policy framework to the Ministry of Finance for reinstating the fertiliser revolving fund.

It should also demonstrate the economic and social benefits of providing affordable fertilisers to farmers

 The PAC also recommended that the Ministry maintain and strengthen relationships with donor agencies to secure ongoing support and prioritise projects that align with both the Ministry’s goals and donor objectives, to enhance technical training and capacity building for staff.

Other recommendations included:

• To improve soil health and reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers, farmers are to be encouraged to adopt local compost, mulching, and green manure techniques.

• The Ministry provides training and resources to support the shift toward sustainable farming.

• To Facilitate Access to Agricultural Inputs the ministry should develop a streamlined process for ordering and distributing agricultural inputs, including fertilisers and machinery, to the Pa Enua.

• And ensure inputs are available at competitive prices to support local farmers and food security.