Lautoka, Fiji – A new, web-based application to assist Fiji’s sugar industry has now been launched. The Field Information System (FIS) is a web-based application that provides a common database for Fiji Sugar Corp. (FSC) and sugar industry partners and enables individual sugarcane farmers to be registered in the system through the recording of farm details and other relevant information such as cane production, harvesting and cane payments.
The system will also contain data on sugarcane growers’ field information, including pre-crush estimates, targets and achievements, drainage, soil and leaf tests and meteorological information, and will provide a Geographic Information System (GIS) interface for GIS data.
The FIS has been developed through the European Union (EU) funded Fairtrade Associations Capacity Building and Farm Advisory Services Support project (Fairtrade), in collaboration with IT Galax Solutions. The Fairtrade project is being implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC) and works to improve farm advisory services for sugarcane farmers.
“The EU is pleased to be supporting the work of the Fairtrade and Farm Advisory Services project that seeks to improve the livelihoods of sugarcane dependent populations throughout Fiji's sugar belt. The launch of this new web-based application Field Information System, will enable sugar industry partners to collaborate and ensure a seamless flow of information. With evidence-based data and statistics, the FIS will contribute to sound and informed decision-making for the advancement of the sugar sector in Fiji,” Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation for the Pacific, Christoph Wagner said.
SPC Director General Dr Colin Tukuitonga said, “SPC is extremely happy to see this tool being made available to farmers and Fiji’s sugar industry stakeholders through the Fairtrade project. By changing from time-consuming, tedious, paper-based operations to digital processes, Fiji’s sugar Industry partners are set to dramatically increase work efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, the data collected in the FIS can be used by the sugar industry to track farmers’ individual production, their use of farm inputs, payments and for management purposes.”
The FIS is available on tablets, which can be taken into the field, increasing accessibility to vital information in field settings.