The Navuso Agricultural Training Institute (NATI) in Fiji is taking a big step towards promoting organic farming practices by establishing a 12-acre organic learning farm centre within the school. Launched in July 2023, with assistance from the Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETCom), a programme with the Pacific Community (SPC) and supported by the Kiwa Initiative, the institute is set to become a hub for organic agriculture practices in Fiji’s central division.
Mr Uraia Waibuta, the Principal of NATI and the NATI Organic Learning Farm Advisor, highlights the importance of this initiative. In the video below, he discusses the reality of marketing organic produce, the benefits of organic farming, and the role of that NATI will play in promoting organic agricultural practices with their young farmers. By focussing on organic farming methods, the institute supports environmentally friendly practices and provides valuable training and resources for future generations of farmers.
Pacific Organic Learning Farms Network (POLFN) Project Manager Timoci Nakalevu shares that “The collaboration between NATI and SPC with the Kiwa Initiative POLFN Project is a promising development for the agricultural sector in Fiji. This innovative approach that incorporates traditional knowledge with the modern concept of agroecology is designed to inspire other institutions and farmers to prioritise organic practices for a healthier and more prosperous future”.
The NATI Organic Learning Farm is one of seven organic learning farms launched in 2023 in Fiji, Nauru, Tonga, and Solomon Islands. These learning farms will be living laboratories that demonstrate the benefits of nature-based solutions such as agroecology, agroforestry, and organic production methods and technologies.
