The Fiji Agri-Innovative Competition is making significant strides in bolstering entrepreneurship and enhancing market access for farmers and small enterprises, in line with the government’s MSME Strategic Plan 2025–2030. This groundbreaking initiative was launched in December 2025 as part of Fiji’s first-ever MSME Strategic Plan, which also includes the establishment of the National MSME Database. This roadmap aims to foster a robust, interconnected MSME ecosystem that supports sustainable growth.
By the year 2030, the plan anticipates that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will contribute approximately 40 percent of the nation’s GDP. It also aims to streamline access to finance, ensuring that these businesses operate within a more coordinated framework for regulation, market access, and skills training.
Sachinda Nand, the Assistant Minister for Commerce and Business Development, emphasized the competition’s role in actualizing this vision. He noted that it facilitates connections between finalists and potential buyers and investors, alongside providing mentorship and enhanced access to technology and innovative practices. “Your partnership is helping us build an ecosystem where innovation can thrive,” Nand stated, highlighting how the program fosters linkages between farmers and the market while empowering entrepreneurs to transform ideas into scalable ventures.
The competition has raised the bar by uniting some of Fiji’s most promising agri-innovators, showcasing their potential at a time when the agricultural sector grapples with challenges such as climate change, rising input costs, and shifting consumer demands. Despite these challenges, Nand believes they present opportunities for innovation, diversification, value addition, and the implementation of new business models that can mitigate risks and enhance profitability.
Furthermore, while global investments are increasingly directed toward innovations like precision agriculture and sustainable food systems, Nand stressed the importance of tailoring these methods to Fiji’s unique environmental and socioeconomic context, which includes considerations such as climate vulnerabilities, geography, land tenure systems, and community-centric business practices.
Through the efforts encapsulated in the MSME Strategic Plan, the Fijian government is dedicated to fostering an expansive entrepreneurship ecosystem, strengthening cooperatives, enhancing financial access and skill development, and simplifying processes to support the growth and formalization of MSMEs. This competition not only underscores the government’s commitment to agribusiness and MSME development but also symbolizes a hopeful future for entrepreneurs across the nation. The competition wraps up today at the Suva Civic Centre, marking a significant event in advancing Fiji’s agricultural innovation landscape.