The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says it is advancing major reforms to improve food security, farmer livelihoods, and governance across the national agriculture sector.
Director Antoine Ravo explained that the Department operates under the Ministry of Agriculture and carries dual responsibilities: supporting a healthy population through access to balanced, nutritious food, and ensuring that products grown by farmers and stakeholders are saleable and able to generate income in rural communities. He said the Department promotes, facilitates, coordinates, and works with different partners along the value chains of key commodities.
Officials acknowledge that 2025 has been a very tough year following the December 2024 earthquake, but the challenges have accelerated reforms and encouraged stronger engagement with developing partners including the University of the South Pacific, the Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre, and the National Bank of Vanuatu. The Department is now entering a new phase for national kava, cacao, and coconut strategies with improved governance structures and updated corporate planning frameworks.
A major milestone is the Agriculture Business Permit program launched on 10 July 2025, which is being rolled out on the islands of Santo and Efate. Director Ravo confirmed that more than 100 permits have already been approved and the Department hopes to issue over 500 permits in the coming years. The permit scheme is designed to move farmers from informal subsistence approaches to sustainable commercial businesses, create rural job opportunities, attract investment, increase primary processing, and encourage the production of value-added Vanuatu-made brands for both domestic and existing export markets.
The Director highlighted an example of a locally approved permit for Nasi Farm, registered as a sweet potato farmer business in the Mele area. He explained that the Department attaches specific conditions to each permit and will provide structured support to ensure the business is visible and able to achieve its objectives under proper business planning.
Another key achievement in 2025 is the development of a national agriculture database system to track business categories and baseline indicators. The system will help measure the real impact of strategies and guide future policy decisions under agriculture, livestock, forestry, and biosecurity frameworks. The Department is also strengthening collaboration with local contractors to support inspection and verification processes, while encouraging farmers to shift their mindset from dependency toward independent access to credit and financial services through NBV.
Director Ravo reaffirmed that despite the difficulties caused by natural disasters, the Department remains committed to delivering ethical, innovative, and community-centred services that can safeguard Vanuatu borders, boost early-warning preparedness, and transform the agriculture sector over the next five to ten years.
