Ministry aims to revive coconut industry
The Ministry of Forestry and the Queensland Department of
Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF) have signed a Sub-Contract Agreement (S-C
Agreement) for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
(ACIAR) project for coconut and other non-traditional wood and forest products.
The signing took place at the Sofitel Resort and Spa in
Denarau, Nadi, last Wednesday (March 8, 2023) at a side-event for Senile
Coconut Palm Utilisation for Engineered Wood Products during the Pacific Week
of Agriculture and Forestry.
The agreement was signed by QDAF’s research facility and
project manager, Dr Rob McGavin and Fiji’s acting permanent secretary for
Fisheries and Forestry, Atelaite Rokosuka, witnessed by ACIAR’s research
programme manager for forestry, Dr Nora Devoe.
Fiji’s Cabinet had agreed on this S-C Agreement on
February 15, 2023.
ACIAR had funded the installation and commissioning of a
research spindle-less lathe facility at the then Timber Utilization Research
and Training Division facility in Nasinu.
With the decline in native forests’ production, the Fiji
Forestry Ministry has identified non-wood forest products like coconut as
having the potential to fill in the gap and meet market demand.
Through the QDAF, the Ministry, in collaboration with the
Pacific Community (SPC) and ACIAR, made a significant technological
breakthrough by demonstrating for the first time that high density, senile
coconut stems can be reliably peeled into quality veneer using relatively
low-cost, spindle-less lathe technologies before being manufactured into
Engineered Wood Products such as plywood.
Mrs Rokosuka said the Fiji Ministry of Forestry and the
Australian Government have had a long lasting relationship that has culminated
over the years through several development projects, reaping benefits that
include technology transfer and capacity building.
She said the issue of senile palms needs to be effectively
dealt with to support Government’s efforts to revive the coconut industry.
"We witnessed another milestone in our Vuvale
partnership with the signing of the Subcontract Agreement for Engineered Wood
Products in collaboration with the Pacific Community and the ACIAR, through the
QDAF," Mrs Rokosuka said.
"This project is one we see promoting value addition
in the industry and would certainly support the Ministry's goal of supporting
economic recovery and alternative livelihoods for Fijians."
She added that this
project has positive social, economic and environmental impacts, including a
source of income for farmers as well as ticking the box for sustainable
forestry by using senile coconut trees.