The Government of Japan has officially handed over a dredger to Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, strengthening the country’s flood mitigation capacity and long-term climate resilience. The handover ceremony took place at the Ministry’s Luvuluvu Station in Nausori.
Officiating at the event, the Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Japan to Fiji, Mr. Isami Takada, said the dredger—funded under Japan’s Grant Aid for Economic and Social Development—represents a strategic shift from disaster response to long-term resilience building.
Takada noted that in 2020, Japan pledged disaster risk reduction equipment valued at JPY 848 million to support Fiji. This package includes tsunami early warning systems, an ice-making plant already handed over in Lautoka, and the newly delivered dredger. The tsunami early warning systems are expected to be provided soon to Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office.
He emphasised that the dredger will play a critical role in reducing flood risks by improving drainage systems and river mouths, protecting farmland from siltation and waterlogging, and ensuring safer navigation along coastal and river routes. These outcomes, he said, will help safeguard livelihoods before, during and after disaster events.
Receiving the dredger, the Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, Tomasi Tunabuna, described the handover as another milestone in the strong and enduring partnership between Fiji and Japan.
He highlighted that between 2020 and 2025, the Ministry has received excavators, wheel loaders and dump trucks through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects. These assets are now actively supporting rural and maritime communities across the country.
Minister Tunabuna underscored Fiji’s vulnerability to climate change and recurring floods, which continue to threaten infrastructure, livelihoods and national food security. He said the newly handed-over dredger will be a key asset in clearing silted waterways, increasing river discharge capacity, and protecting agricultural land and nearby communities.
Reaffirming the deep Kizuna—or bond—between Fiji and Japan, Minister Tunabuna assured that the dredger will be properly used and maintained to ensure long-term benefits for all Fijians.
