The University of Fiji and the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF) today entered a far-reaching Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate as partners on a range of initiatives to benefit both the sugar industry and higher education.

In the initial phase of the partnership, UniFiji will assist SRIF to develop its five-year Strategic Plan and SRIF will provide support for the University’s science research and student attachments.

The MOU was signed today by the Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem and the CEO of SRIF Dr Vinesh Kumar at the Saweni Campus of the University.

The MOU allows the University to help develop SRIF’s Strategic Plan in accordance with the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji Act 2005.

In her address, Professor Shameem said that the legal mandate of SRIF was wide-ranging and included responsibility to undertake research on technical, social, scientific and commercial aspects of the sugar industry, to provide technical and other support to farmers including cane quality payments, and to have oversight on land use, environmental protection, diversification and performance of the industry. Professor Shameem said SRIF’s comprehensive mandate allowed the University to reflect on the best way to assist the Institute with defining its outputs and outcomes.

The University will also help to train and build capacity for SRIF personnel and stakeholders including farmers. The MOU establishes a programme of work with collaboration on industry initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and Fiji’s climate change commitments.

The University will also provide SRIF stakeholders with specialized training curricula, short courses and certificates tailored to the legislative mandate of SRIF and the sugar industry as a whole. Joint workshops, seminars and conferences are also planned under the MOU. Also planned is assistance with policy and communication strategy development.

Other areas of collaboration between UniFiji and SRIF include training opportunities for students and internships and attachments with SRIF.

The CEO of SRIF said that this partnership marks a significant milestone in the collective efforts to advance research, innovation, and capacity- building in Fijis Sugar industry.

He shared that SRIF has always committed to scientific excellence and industry driven research, therefore by working together with the University of Fiji, both institutions will be able to bridge the gap between research and practice, ensuring cutting-edge scientific knowledge is translated into tangible benefits for farmers, millers and industry stakeholders.

Dr Kumar also thanked the leadership of the University for recognizing the importance of this partnership and commitment to foster research and education in the sugar sector. The MOU will pave a way for joint research projects, student training programmes, academic exchanges and collaborative initiative focused on key challenges in the sugar industry. This will include improving soil health, enhancing cane varieties, developing climate resilient farming techniques and optimizing sugar production.

Professor Shameem said that in the University’s view sugar remained an essential part of the overall economy of Fiji and when SRIF reached out for an MOU, the University did not hesitate. SRIF’s legislation allowed the University to add value to the MOU by proposing a holistic and human values perspective on the sugar industry. She said the industry also had heritage value in its origins and social structure both in farming and milling. The sugar industry had supported the social, economic and cultural well-being of generations of people in Fiji and thus needed to be treated with respect.

Most of the students of the University came from the west and therefore the University had a responsibility to ensure that the range of economic activity in the west, in all its diversity and variety, was supported and became resilient for the good of all, Professor Shameem said.