Join us for an insightful webinar on “Villages to Net Zero: Solar Solutions for Climate Action in Rural Asia and the Pacific”, as part of the CIRDAP Knowledge Series 60.
This webinar is jointly organized by Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) in Bangladesh and the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) in Fiji.
Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Mr. Ashish Khanna, will be the distinguished speaker for this webinar
The Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP), together with the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) has collaborated on an International Online Training Programme on Artificial Intelligence for Rural Development: Transforming Technology into Reality for Rural Welfare,” which is scheduled to take place from August 18 – 20, 2026.
The three day online training is free and will cover the following themes:-
- Foundations of AI for Rural Development
- Data readiness, Governance & Predictive Planning
- Agriculture, Climate & Natural Resource Management
- AL in Rural Healthcare, Education & Programme Delivery
- From planning to Execution – Integrated AI workflows
- Responsible AI, Community Engagement & Capstone
The training programme will be directed by the Programme Officer—Learning, CIRDAP, Dr Venkatamallu Thadaboina from Dhaka, Bangladesh and Dr Sushant Kumar Singh, the Founding Director, CAIES Foundation, Patna, India.
*For queries or support, please contact Dr Venkatamallu Thadaboina, Programme Officer (Learning), CIRDAP, Dhaka, at Email: po_learning@cirdap.org or Phone: +91-9866681774 (WhatsApp).
News
SABETO, NADI. It was a historical moment for more than 10,000 contracted farmers across Sigatoka to Rakiraki, who are now poised to benefit from new export opportunities in the Northern Pacific after the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the New Valley Processors (Fiji) Limited (NVPL).
The partnership with NVPL marks a key step in connecting local farmers to the export market and expanding their economic potential through the Food and Nutrition Security initiative that is headed by the PIDF.
The Food and Nutrition Security initiative echoed the sustainable development goal 2 and 3, which looked at addressing food security, cultivation and production, and access to fresh produce through consistent supply and commitment to uphold zero hunger.
His Excellency, the High Commissioner of Naoero to Fiji, and Chairperson of the Pacific Island Development Forum- High Commissioner, Michael Aroi was the chief guest at the MOU signing ceremony at Sabeto, Nadi.
Mr Aroi shared how beneficial the partnership would be not only to farmers but also families back in Naoero.
“Fiji has rich and fertile land that can grow vegetables and crops that can be exported to the Northern Pacific such as Naoero where we heavily depend on imported goods,” Mr Aroi said.
“Through this partnership, families in Naoero would be able to consume fresh agricultural produce from Fiji, contributing towards the fight against NCD and growing a healthier society.”
The PIDF Secretary General Arpana Pratap shared that this partnership with NVPL would encourage local farmers to diversify and improve the quality of their crops and vegetables to meet local and export market.
She said that local farmers have so many untapped potentials but may lack market access.
“This is the area that the PIDF will strengthen and will bridge the gap through this partnership with NVPL by engaging more with these farmers, visiting their farms, as well as sharing resources to support the programs focused on high value crops that will be processed for export markets,” Ms. Pratap said.
“We will also identify and secure buyers in the Northern Pacific markets and negotiate commercial agreements with importers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers so our local farmers are able to make good economic benefits from exporting their produce.
“Beyond economic gains, this partnership contributes to regional food security by ensuring that fresh and nutritious produce is supplied to Pacific Island countries that often depend heavily on imported foods.”
Under the Food and Nutrition Security initiative, the PIDF has been coordinating the export of agricultural produce from Nadi, Fiji to countries in the Northern Pacific such as the Republic of Naoero and will expand soon to the Republic of Marshall Islands, Federal States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau, through the Pacific Fresh Airlink project.
The Pacific Fresh Airlink project was setup to support the export of fresh agricultural produce from Fijian farmers to regional markets, creating new economic opportunities for local producers while improving access to fresh and nutritious food in Pacific communities.
A key component of the initiative is its direct support for farmers in Fiji, particularly those in the Tailevu and Ra provinces as this project assists farmers in improving the quality, consistency, and market readiness of their produce through enhanced agricultural practices, post-harvest handling, and supply chain coordination.
These benefits are expected to expand further through the partnership with NVPL, a newly established agriculture – processing and export company based in Sabeto, Nadi.
Chief executive officer Navitalai Tuivuniwai said NVPL currently purchases agricultural produce such as bora (yard long bean), chilies, eggplants, cucumbers, tomatoes, cowpeas, and several high value crops that have the potential to meet the local and export market in the Northern Pacific.
“We see the economic benefits the local farmers will gain through this partnership, as they export their produce to the Northern Pacific market,” Mr Tuivuniwai said.
“New Valley extends our deepest thanks to the PIDF and the Naoero Government for giving our farmers in hard-to-reach places a consistent, sustainable market. We are so grateful for the hard work negotiating this deal. This incredible support from our region ensures our farmers can finally smile, knowing their produce will always have a buyer.
“We have always encouraged our farmers to maintain consistency in the quality of their produce to ensure that it meets the export requirements and are of good quality for consumption.
“We have always relied on trust amongst our farmers to produce quality produce and they have been doing well in this area. Through this partnership, we are excited to have PIDF on board in connecting our local farmers to the Northern Pacific market.”
Through this partnership between the PIDF and NVPL, local farmers can become key contributors to food security, economic growth, and sustainable agricultural development across Fiji and the Pacific.
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