LAUTOKA, Fiji\u2014Up to 50 sugar cane access roads with a total length of 42 kilometres in the Drasa sugar cane sector, on the outskirts of Lautoka, Fiji are being upgraded compliments of a FJD$4.25 million partnership between the Pacific Community (SPC) and Fair Deal Earthmoving Contractors (FDEC) Limited and funded by the European Union (EU).<\/p>\n
This was announced at the Rural Access Roads and Associated Infrastructure (RARAI) project dialogue seminar involving SPC as the implementing agency and key sugar cane industry stakeholders in Lautoka today.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2019This project tackles a key challenge for farmers, in particular in more remote areas of Fiji by easing the transportation of sugar to the mills. The project has also an important social component, as it will provide employment for vulnerable groups of the population. It is therefore, an important element in the EU\u2019s ongoing support to the sugar sector in Fiji,\u2019\u2019 said Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific Acting Head of Cooperation, Jes\u00fas Lavi\u00f1a.<\/p>\n
The upgrading works will ensure that around 315 sugar cane farmers will benefit from improved road access leading to a reduction in transportation costs between their farms and the main Queens Highway.<\/p>\n
\u201cFDEC will be undertaking road rehabilitation works under Phase I in Drasa. Road works have begun and is expected to be completed before the 2017 crushing season begins. Road transportation is a very expansive exercise in terms of time and money during the harvesting season, hence this project attempts to mitigate this,\u201d SPC Chief Adviser, Patricia Sachs-Cornish said.<\/p>\n
The RARAI project is a EURO 13 million project funded under the 2013 Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol (AMSP) Programme, \u2018Support to Sugarcane Industry Programme\u2019. <\/p>\n
The project\u2019s specific objective is to reduce social, economic and environmental vulnerability of farmers and mill workers impacted by sugar reforms by improving the condition of cane access roads and associated infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough the EU funded RARAI project will provide some transport relief for farmers during harvesting season, it is important that other stakeholders are actively involved to have meaningful long term benefits to the farmers and for the broader sugar industry,\u201d said Sachs-Cornish.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe project is working closely with the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC), Ministry of Sugar Industry (MoSI) and other primary stakeholders in trying to address the transportation challenges for farmers. They are critical because they play leading roles in improving and sustaining good quality cane access roads and drainage systems across the sugar cane sectors,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Phase II will see the upgrading of around 38 kilometres of cane access roads and selected drainage in the same sector, beginning this April as well. (PR)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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