BY JOHN HOUANIAHU
Whatever government forms after this year’s joint elections scheduled for April is being urged to prioritize agriculture and social infrastructure in order to boost the country’s economy and improve the livelihoods of its citizens.
Frendly Solo, a 30-year-old student at Solomon Islands National University (SINU), has urged prioritizing agriculture and social infrastructure in his constituency of Central Guadalcanal ahead of the upcoming 2024 National Joint Election.
Solo earns money for his education at SINU by selling fruits like bananas and eggplant at Honiara Central Market.
“For us vendors, the Honiara Central Market’s current space is insufficient. We occasionally have to conduct our sales outside the main market building, in front of the bus stop. This usually has an impact on the quality of our products, which in turn has an impact on how well we collect revenue,” he told SUNDAY ISLES.
For the young man from Central Guadalcanal, agriculture is a way of life and not just a means of making money. As a vendor and student, he places a high value on helping and supporting rural farmers.
“If a new government is formed, my message to the political parties and the government is that agriculture needs to be given priority. Our nation can prosper through agriculture, and if the government supports rural residents and farmers like us, our economy will expand.
“Agriculture is life; without agriculture, we will already be dead,” Solo expressed.
As a farmer, Solo understands the value of appropriately overseeing the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) to help farmers and rural residents maintain their standard of living.
“In my opinion, the RCDF is one of the urgent problems that also needs to be resolved. In order for rural people to start projects, support them at home, particularly in agriculture, and become less reliant on Members of Parliament (MPs), the government must appropriately handle the RCDF.
“Thus, in my opinion, that is one of the programs or policies the government ought to take into account,” he noted.
Agriculture has long been considered the backbone of the urban and rural economies, providing employment and food security for thousands of people on Guadalcanal. However, Solo said the sector has been facing numerous challenges in recent years, and the next government must invest in research and development to improve crop yields.
Since he started working as a market vendor to support himself while attending the university, Solo’s daily struggles have also been impacted by transportation and inadequate road infrastructure.
“For any winning government, they should prioritize roads and bridges. The road is one of the most important infrastructures for the lives of people. Today we live in the world of technology, where we use mobile devices, roads, ships, and planes, so we depend on those things.
“We do not have a good road in central Guadalcanal. One of the problems is also climate change. For instance, flooding, washing away our garden crops, or even deteriorating roads from bad weather can cause damage to our bridges.
“Peter Channel Agovaka, our former MP for Central Guadalcanal, needs to give priority to the issues I mention if he is re-elected,” he urged.
