Fiji Agriculture Minister Inia Seruiratu (centre) with two of his officials, Jone Sovalawa (left) and Vatimi Rayalu, both from Fiji’s Ministry for Agriculture, at Massey University’s Dairy 4 farm.
Fiji’s Agriculture Minister Inia Seruiratu visited Massey University’s Manawatū campus yesterday to learn about work being done to combat climate change through different farming methods.
Mr Seruiratu, who is also Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, is a Massey graduate who completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Defence and Security Studies) in 2007.
He and officials from his ministry are guests of New Zealand Climate Change Ambassador Mark Sinclair (part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) for a three-day visit. He was last year appointed Fiji’s High Level Climate Change Champion in the lead-up to the next United Nations climate change conference, called COP 23, in Bonn, Germany, at which Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will be president.
A key feature of the visit was to explore the connection between agriculture and climate change in terms of increasing productivity without increasing emissions, alternative land uses, and gas adaptation and resilience.
Professor Pete Lockhart, from the Institute of Fundamental Science, showcased a DNA diagnostic device that Massey has developed to help inform management decisions concerning pests and diseases that impact the production of crops and the international trade of produce.
Lachlan McIntyre from the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, presented details of a Pacific region project to support animal health services. Mr Seruiratu invited Mr McIntyre to meet with him when in Fiji later this month when he visits to support a curriculum review of Fiji National University’s veterinary programme.
Mr Seruiratu said he was keen to explore closer collaborations between Fiji and Massey in agriculture, animal and crop production, veterinary and food science. He was instrumental in forging Massey’s recent partnership with Fiji National University.
Dr Nick Roskruge from Massey’s Institute of Agriculture and Environment, regularly travels to Fiji to provide supervision to several PhD students and to participate in research projects on pacific and indigenous agriculture. He is in regular contact with the Fiji Ministry of Agriculture, the Fiji National University and the University of the South Pacific.
As well as meeting Massey staff Mr Seruiratu was introduced to several Fijian students who are funded by Foreign Affairs’ New Zealand Aid programme to study agriculture and veterinary science degrees at Massey.