Stop Chemicals-GO organic Fiji

Recently I attended a workshop on an invitation from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to be in Port Villa, Vanuatu for a week to be trained a trainer in organic farming. So it was the:
Building Capacity of Youth In Organic Agriculture - Train the Trainers Workshop Port Vila 

First and foremost I asked myself why Vanuatu for the training when it could have been done here in Fiji. I got the answer on the first day; Organic farming is widely practiced and taught in Vanuatu. They have a farmer support organisation called the FSA: Farmer Support Association which was established way back in 1913 and they FSA were also facilitators to this workshop. I was amazed at how the organisation operates and the services they provide to their members. The existence of FSA has significantly impacted the farmers of Vanuatu as most of market produce are organic. They provide technical training for farmers and their trainers, provision of farming equipment's, seedlings and feeds at affordable price, as most of these are imported directly from overseas, and this cuts middlemen or hardware shops that are mostly expensive. Great idea minimizing the cost of start-up to eager farmers. 

Vanuatu exports the only organic beef in the Pacific and they have the best beef I have ever tasted. Their beef tastes much better from Fiji and its tender, Wow you should try! Also i tried their chicken, Wow its even better, as the meat are a bit tough and they are tastier than Fiji chickens. I asked around and they said that their Birds are not locked in cages like in Fiji but they are free to move around in ample space, adding to it is the feed that is used to feed them.

A highlight of these training would be the lessons learned from the importance of soil management which contributes allot to yields during harvesting. In Fiji the older generations had better soil management skills which are no longer practiced in rural communities mainly due to the introduction of quick solutions to farming. These are for examples synthetic weedicides,pesticides and fertilizers which harm the environment but also its long term effect on humans. A recent finding on the effect on Glyphosate on Humans can be accessed on this link- http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416http:/  

So in our context here in Fiji, especially Suva where we get most of our vegetables from Chineese and other farmers around the Central Division, I shall pose a question if they do practice organic farming? NO, do they care for your health? NO, do they use chemicals?YES. So why are we consumers neglecting this facts, maybe you don't know, but today you do! Do something, make a change, your health is at risk!! All they want is to make a profit in a business that is unethical to humanity. Sounds interesting as ethics shall be ultimate in Food supply to any Human. To summarize this is unethical trade, double full-stop..

AgroNet Fiji is taking this bold and confident steps towards being organically certified with POETCOM and to be a launching ground of these awareness and training in Fiji with the focus being the Central Division at first. And is working towards the opening of  the vegetables and root crop online retail business to serve the people who are more responsive to the organic movement.

Don't worry Fiji we are here to fight hunger ORGANICALLY!!