He acknowledged the assistance of the New Zealand High Commission for their support in providing a consultant to draft of a legislation which suited Vanuatu’s environment. He also acknowledged the stability in government that helped identify such gaps. The Vanuatu Primary Producers Authority Act was passed in Parliament in June 2018, and minister Seremaiah said the benefits of it are being realised today.
Relating to the issues faced within the Vanuatu Commodities Marketing Board (VCMB), citing financial and political interference as one main challenge of VCMB, Mr Seremaiah said it affects the operations within VCMB.

He said VPPA will be responsible to address the concerns of farmers and identify marketing opportunities. Over the years, farmers have raised concerned over the benefits they should receive within their respective associations with some still having no benefits from the revenue flow.

However, with the VPPA there should be a difference. Mr Seremaiah said VPPA is where farmers can raise their concerns and complaints to be addressed.

“Farmers will now have a platform for them to group together,” the caretaker Minister said.

“They have the power so they can negotiate for their prices instead of working individually to ensure supplies are available for the buyers. Also, it will ensure effective coordination of farmers and their products so VPPA can keep track on our local productions. Many farmers are concerned with marketing, but the real issue is how can we sustain the market, if we find one, and coordination is very important.

“Regarding the farmer’s revenue flow, it will be stored in a Trust account, appropriated by Parliament and sent directly back to the farmers. The farmers will then decide what to do with their funds and not MALFFB, or the Minister but the farmers themselves. Investors can now approach VPPA to gather data analysis of farmers throughout Vanuatu. Establishing this institution, we believe there are a lot of benefits to it.

“It is the duty of the VPPA CEO to ensure that the benefits are tangible for the farmers. We have identified the problem, create our laws but the important thing is to make it happen. VPPA will deal with productions for commercial use but at times it will collaborate with the Vanuatu Cooperatives Business Network (VCBN) to address the farmers’ production especially the producers. VPPA will seek to address that farmers benefit from the programme. Once established, the MALFFB will deal with policies, regulation and passing laws in Parliament.”

He acknowledged the consulting team that had been registering farmers throughout the provinces and the MALFFB staff for their hard work as well.

Mr Seremaiah wished the VPPA all the best in the future and expressed his desire to witness the farmers benefit from the programme.

MALFFB Director General, Moses Amos, said the next step to be addressed is to see the officers execute their duty.

“We will now analyze the data we have collected, regarding farmer registrations,” he explained.

“This ranges from kava farmers, vegetable farmers, livestock farmers including fishermen’s associations. Once all associations are identified, we will provide technical assistance to the farmers. There are four types of farming in Vanuatu, and this data analysis will determine each farmer under their type of farming as well as the intervention by the MALFFB.

“One benefit of farmers through the VPPA is having a voice to their concerns and complaints regarding production payments. Coming in groups will ensure more strength to their concerns as well.

“Secondly it ensures MALFFB to identify which farmers to focus on in providing assistance. Next, it will ensure effective coordination of a particular product so that VPPA can arrange marketing process in advance awaiting the harvest season to ensure revenue flow for all partners as well.

“Fourthly, farmers will pay a small fee as their contribution. This fee will ensure effective cooperation between VPPA and farmers, so VPPA will re-invest the money into a particular product produced by the farmers, for example, providing materials to help assist productions. The biggest advantage of MALFFB is that we can project them to allow restrictions to some of the imported products such as potatoes from Australia. This restriction may refer to limitation of imported products or come up with an imported fee. It will allow the leverages to return back to our local potato farmers.”

The DG said the launching is a big achievement for local farmers. Since Independence in 1980, farmers never had a voice as VCMB controls the price when dealing with buyers and producers. The historic event witnessed yesterday now allows farmers to have a voice through the VPPA, so farmers can listen as well.

DG Amos mentioned that there will be a legislation enacted to protect the rights of the farmers. He further appealed to the farmers to visit the VPPA office and register their associations and introduce their products so VPPA can assist them.

VPPA Consultant, Timothy Tumukon acknowledged the government through the MALFFB for their assistance into the programme, adding it is a milestone for such facility to exist.

He says VPPA is working to set up a financial system with the government and acknowledged everyone who supported the initiative up to its launching.