Fiji

Fiji is an island state in the South Pacific composed of more than 330 islands, of which roughly 110 are permanently inhabited, with a total land area of about 18,300 km². The country’s physical geography is shaped by volcanic origins, resulting in mountainous interiors, fertile coastal plains, and extensive tropical forests. Climatic conditions are typically humid and maritime, with annual rainfall ranging from approximately 2,000 mm in the drier leeward regions to over 5,000 mm on windward slopes, creating strong regional differences in land use and agricultural productivity.

Human settlement dates back over three millennia, but the modern economic landscape emerged during British colonial rule between 1874 and 1970, when plantation-based agriculture, especially sugarcane cultivation, became the central pillar of the economy. Since independence in 1970, the primary sector has remained crucial for employment and rural livelihoods even as services have expanded.

Agriculture contributes around 10–12% of gross domestic product and employs close to one-third of the workforce. Approximately 23% of the land area is used for agricultural purposes, although only about 10% is arable due to the mountainous terrain. Sugarcane remains the dominant crop, with annual production typically ranging between 1.5 and 2.5 million tonnes and yielding around 150,000 to 250,000 tonnes of raw sugar. Root crops such as cassava, which often exceeds 150,000 tonnes annually, together with taro and rice, are essential for domestic consumption, while coconut, bananas and niche export crops such as ginger and kava also play an important economic role. Livestock production is relatively modest in scale, with poultry numbers of roughly 1.5 million and cattle populations of about 200,000.

Forests cover approximately 55–60% of Fiji’s land area, equivalent to about 1.0–1.1 million hectares. Native tropical forests dominate the landscape, but plantation forestry has developed around commercially valuable species such as Caribbean pine and mahogany, occupying close to 90,000 hectares. The forestry sector produces an estimated 500,000–700,000 cubic metres of logs annually and supports export-oriented timber processing industries.

Marine resources are particularly significant given Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone of about 1.3 million km². The fisheries sector contributes roughly 2–3% of GDP and plays an essential role in food security and employment. Total fish production is generally between 40,000 and 50,000 tonnes per year, combining offshore tuna fisheries, coastal reef fishing and subsistence activities. Aquaculture is gradually expanding, especially in shrimp and tilapia farming. Overall, Fiji’s primary sector reflects the interaction between tropical island geography and limited arable land, with agriculture concentrated in coastal plains, forestry based on both natural and plantation resources, and fisheries forming a vital component of the national economy.

Gerold was 2006 the first time on Fiji. He wrote a study on organic farming in the South Pacific for the FAO. That's why I wanted to go here, because there is an IFOAM member here. Unfortunately, just a week before the coup had been done. So everything was different as planned. He went to Lautoka to Herbex.com. Rather undramatic. Otherwise he was very surprised how run-down the interior looked. The infrastructure was very ruined, the people seemed rather poor. Question: where does all the money go that tourism brings in here? Only sugar cane, burnt earth (slash-and-burn in the slopes). Accommodation and living standards were very acceptable, as was the weather. Unfortunately I didn't come to snorkel, the time was too short.

In 2018 Gerold und Klaudia visited Fiji several times with Klaudia, as an important stopover to other Pacific countries. they spent the stop-over close to  in a Hilton Hotel, high quality and smart to organize. Half a day they were on the second biggest island of Fiji, on Labasa, spending time at the airport.