Over 18,000 Acres of Land Returned to Landowners So Far

More than 18,000 acres of land previously held by the State for public purposes have been returned to their rightful landowning units as Government continues efforts to resolve longstanding land issues across Fiji.

Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Hon. Filimoni Vosarogo, said a total of 18,173.67 acres had been returned over the past year.

“These are not just land transfers. They are the fulfilment of longstanding commitments, the resolution of historical matters and the strengthening of partnerships between Government and landowners,” Vosarogo said.

The return of land forms part of broader reforms being undertaken by the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources as it enters the 2026–2027 financial year with a $37.1 million allocation focused on improving efficiency, modernising services and creating greater economic opportunities.

The ministry is also undertaking a $258,330 digitisation programme to convert decades of paper-based land records, survey information and geological data into digital databases.

For rural communities, $6.2 million has been allocated to continue the groundwater assistance programme and improve access to clean water.

The programme delivered 96 groundwater sources in the previous financial year, benefiting 3,298 households and more than 23,000 Fijians.

Vosarogo also highlighted agricultural diversification as an opportunity to generate greater economic activity and income for rural communities and landowners.

Emerging industries include coffee, cocoa, pineapple and vanilla, with one million coffee seedlings being planted across 500 acres.

#Fiji's cocoa industry has also been identified as having significant growth potential, with production capable of increasing from around 100 tonnes to 500 tonnes and potentially involving thousands of farmers.

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