Over 1000 hours of tractor services, including slashing and ploughing of farmland in Rarotonga, were provided by the Ministry of Agriculture in the past year.

Secretary for Agriculture Temarama Anguna-Kamana said: “Today male and female farmers continue to use these services that have been made possible by Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grass Roots Human Security Project (GGP).”

A brief ceremony to finalise the handover of the much-needed agricultural machinery and equipment to assist farmers on the island was held at the Ministry of Agriculture office in Arorangi yesterday afternoon.

Tetsumi Takahashi, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Wellington, New Zealand, flew in for the ceremony and was pleased to be present for the dedication of the equipment.

Japan provided $144,856 of agricultural resources to the Ministry of Agriculture, including three tractors, three ploughs, three slashers, and three trailers for use in Rarotonga. These were received in December 2022 and put to use immediately.

Anguna-Kamana said this project enabled the Ministry to provide low-cost tractor rental services to both full-time and part-time farmers on the island, supporting and increasing the productivity of cultivated land and converting vacant farmland into arable land.

The machinery is kept at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters in Arorangi, where it is cleaned and well-maintained.

Farmers who wish to book a tractor for ploughing their land can call the Ministry to make a booking. A small fee will be charged.

Anguna-Kamana acknowledged and thanked the Ambassador of Japan in Wellington, noting that his courtesy visit to the Ministry led to their request for agricultural support. Their request was supported by Kirihara Minoru and Taeko Lorimer.