BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Minister of Agriculture, Franklyn Wasi, has highlighted some of the ministry’s achievements through the donor-funded projects when he opened the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s (MAL) Annual Planning conference this week.

He said over the past years, they have made several important strides through donor-funded projects.

One example highlighted is that through World Bank’s support, there is the implementation of the Agribusiness Producer Group which as reached new milestones in enhancing value chains for cocoa and coconut farmers.

Wasi said lessons from the program are informing future investments in agribusiness partnerships.

Speaking about another project, Wasi said their long-standing partner, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), continues to provide technical assistance in areas such as food system transformation, climate-smart agriculture and the development of E-Agriculture Strategy.

He also said the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), through AIMN, will be supporting initiatives targeting rural inclusivity, investment in markets and nutrition, especially for women and youth which is set to be implemented in Isabel, Western and Choiseul Provinces.

He furthered that through UNICEF’s support, MAL sees stronger cross-sectoral collaboration between agriculture, nutrition and health; ensuring that food security translates into improved well-being for communities, particularly school children.

Wasi said these investments ensure a strong technical and leadership base for the future.

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