Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji

11/06/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/05/2024 22:12

PM RABUKA CALLS FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO STRENGTHEN FOOD SECURITY AND RESILIENCE AT 2024 PACIFIC SIDS SOLUTIONS FORUM (05 11 2024)

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabukatoday highlighted the need to identify and scale innovative solutions for resilient production systems that empower our communities and enhance our food security.
While officiating at the opening of the 2024 Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum on Denarau in Nadi, the Prime Minister stated that we must prioritise initiatives that enhance agricultural productivity while protecting our fragile ecosystems.
"We must promote sustainable land and water management, integrate traditional knowledge with modern techniques and sciences and invest in research and development to build resilient livestock systems," PM Rabuka asserted.
"Let us innovatively harness the power of technology and sciences with our traditional knowledge and natural land attributes to improve our food security, food safety, healthy nutrition and reduce post-harvest losses.
"Today we are here to continue dialogue to find or formulate solutions to the threats to our very own survival as Small Islands Developing States - dangers brought about by climate change.
"For those of us from this part of the world, we are united in our common purpose to forge innovative pathways towards an ever thriving or sustainable Blue Pacific Continent."
For this, the Prime Minister called on development partners, civil society organisations , and all stakeholders to join forces in our quest for our Blue Pacific Continent.
The four-day high-level forum, which is also attended by the FAO Director-General Dr. QU Dongyu, aims to share innovative solutions aimed at transforming agrifood systems in the Pacific Islands region through better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
The event is co-hosted by Fiji and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
The 14 Pacific small island developing states include the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Tokelau as an Associate Member.
Read the Prime Minister's full speech on https://bitly.cx/9rism