Most farmers around the country have been assisted through the rural electrification program - Usamate

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Jone Usamate says there are more than 69,000 farmers around the country and most of these farmers have been assisted through the rural electrification program.

Usamate says over the past five years, they have invested around $163 million in rural electrification and this is an increase of two and half times from what they were spending back in 2014.

He says out of this, $92.8 million has been paid to Energy Fiji Limited for grid extension for 367 schemes for 12,417 houses.

SODELPA MP Anare Jale

Usamate revealed this in Parliament after SODELPA PM Anare Jale asked him to advise parliament on when local farmers who do not have access to electricity will be connected to the EFL power grid.

Usamate says when they assist the farmers, they also assist those that live around the farmers.

Usamate says in the next three years, government has set a target to connect an additional 2,500 houses to the electricity grid and most of these houses are in rural areas.

He says this is part of striving to achieve their target of 100% access to electricity by 2021.