Sunday, August 06, 2006

Pine plantations in Fiji and looking to the future


When I read travel diaries and throwaway lines about Fiji people by tourists and backpackers or visitors such as the American family who lived in Taveuni to show free movies, I notice prejudice and romanticism and judgmental attitudes. So many people assume that Fijians only live for the day with no anxiety about tomorrow, and never plan for the future, I want to argue that Fijians do look to the future with the education of their children particularly.

One long-term plan for many farmers in Vanua Levu may be to diversify the use of the land away from the focus on sugarcane to thinking about planting pine. Our family and some neighbours have started this and it is a long-term plan because there will be no profits until at least ten years down the track. The pic is of a Fiji pine plantation.
W.

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