200 Agriculture Business Permits approved so far
June 18, 2026 11:24 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Anita Roberts.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has approved 200 Agriculture Business Permits from 406 applications since the program was launched last year.
117 of these farmers, market vendors, traders, and exporters are from SHEFA Province, 55 from Santo, 21 from Malekula, six from Maewo, and one from Ambae.
190 other applicants are yet to meet the requirements of the permit and have been placed in the Readiness Program, where the department will assist them to comply, while 16 applications have been deferred.
These figures were conveyed by the Director of DARD, Antoine Ravo, to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic and Foreign Policies (CEFP) during yesterday’s public hearing.
The DARD Director explained that applicants are required to demonstrate they are serious farmers by meeting specific criteria, including registration with the Vanuatu Primary Producers Association (VPPA), having a bank account, membership in a cooperative, and evidence of secured land for farming.
He said DARD has provided support to successful applicants in terms of land clearing, particularly in SHEFA and SANMA Provinces, and has opened applications this year for MALAMPA and PENAMA.
“The department has cleared 20 farms in SHEFA and SANMA, mainly for root crop production, and also provided fencing materials and training for farmers to boost their knowledge on operating their farms as businesses,” he added.
Director Ravo told the CEFP that the department is implementing the program effectively, with a secretariat established to oversee the application process. He said so far there have been no complaints in the 11 months of implementation, with only queries raised.
The Vanuatu Government, through the Agriculture Business Permit System, is pushing for smallholder farmers to transition from subsistence to commercial farming by targeting serious farmers.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Biosecurity (MALFB) has amended the Agriculture Act to allow local investors to participate in agricultural development, whereas the previous legislation only permitted foreign investors.
To encourage investors to participate in commercial agriculture, the government has announced the creation of a development fund to support investors in overcoming the challenge of access to capital.
