Science, technology and entrepreneurship needs to be recognised as factors of production (FOP) too with land, labour and capital, says Leader of Opposition Inia Seruiratu.
Mr Seruiratu was a guest panelist at the two-day Fijian Institute of Chartered Accountants (FICA) annual congress – 2024 which ended yesterday at the Shangri-La Yanuca Island Resort in Sigatoka.
“We need to be relevant, it’s about change management. All the books tell us that when we are together with the change, we are relevant, and we are making the most of the opportunities that we have. So we need to add three entries to land, labour and capital,” Mr Seruiratu said.
“This is why I said that you need to add science, technology and entrepreneurship into it because the wild harvests that we are currently practicing will not be sustainable in a while. What we need is science and technology to drive these sectors to the next level.
“Aquaculture, so that we can have the laboratories for prawns for our crustaceans, for tilapia, and then that goes up to our environment clam, pearl. We need science and technology to drive us to the next level.”
Mr Seruiratu said there was a huge potential in agriculture, but the stigma associated with choosing farming as a source of income was a cause of deterrent to those who want to take up farming.
“One thing I want to leave with all of us perhaps the first challenge in agriculture is the stigma that goes with this word called ‘farm’. Unfortunately, in Fiji, when they mention this word farmer, ‘oh, he is a school dropout’, ‘he has no other option or alternative and he is now farming’.
“Perhaps we should call them farm entrepreneurs or something because we need to change that. I argue that this is the best profession, this is the best business.”
Mr Seruiratu added recognising science, technology and entrepreneurship as FOPs was crucial as “these are three critical areas that we need to focus on in order to realise the protections that are already there in the resource base sector”.
