Three out of ten Fijians living in poverty in 2019/2020, with rural poverty still much higher than urban poverty
258,000 people lived under the Basic Needs Poverty Line

Three out of ten Fijians living in poverty in 2019/2020, with rural poverty still much higher than urban poverty

258,000 people lived under the Basic Needs Poverty Line

By Vijay Narayan
13/09/2021
Suva City. [Image: Atlastrip]

The Fiji Bureau of Statistics 2019-20 Household Income and Expenditure Survey confirms that three out of ten Fijians were living in poverty in 2019-2020, with rural poverty still much higher than urban poverty.

Based on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey, 29.9% of Fijians, or about 258,000 individuals in 45,724 households, lived under the Basic Needs Poverty Line of $41.91 per adult equivalent per week.

The bureau says poverty was higher in rural areas standing at 41.5% than urban areas at 20.4%, with 62.2% of the poor living in rural areas.

Poverty also varied by education and labour market characteristics of the household.

Households whose head had higher levels of education had lower poverty rates, although the returns to education were much lower in rural areas than in urban areas.

Poverty rates were also lowest among households whose heads were employers or involved in salaried work, particularly outside of the agriculture industry.

The bureau says three distinct groups of poor emerge from the data, each with their own challenges and policy needs.

The first group is the urban poor, whose primary needs are improved education and skills in order to access productive jobs. The second group is the rural poor in Eastern and Northern division, who are the most multi-dimensionally deprived, lacking access to basic needs such as grid electricity and piped water. This second group also suffer from lack of access to skilled jobs, which means the returns to education are much lower.

The third group is the rural poor in Western and Central divisions, who are somewhat in the middle of the first two groups: having better access to public services due to being located on the main island of Viti Levu, but still predominantly agricultural, with many working in the low wage jobs such as farm labourers and cane cutters.

The Fiji Bureau of Statistics says food poverty in Fiji is rare in national terms, but still prevalent in some areas.

The food poverty estimates based on the food poverty line of $1,335.36 per adult equivalent per year or $25.68, was 6.4% for 2019-2020.

The prevalence of food poverty was much higher in rural areas standing at 11.1%, while 2.6% in urban areas and was more prevalent in the Eastern division at 13.7% than elsewhere.

Food poverty measures the cost of buying a balanced diet that provides 2,228 calories per adult equivalent per day.

Also in 2019-2020, three out of every ten adults and children or 30% were multidimensionally poor – they lived on low incomes and were deprived of essential things that they needed.

Over a quarter of a million people (256,000) in Fiji are multidimensionally poor. Multidimensional poverty rates in rural areas stand at 38%, which is higher than in urban areas of Fiji which stand at 23 %.

FEATURE NEWS
Govt will not make more backdated payments to USP as discussions on VAT amount continue – Prof. Prasad
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Prasad has confirmed that the government will not make any more backdated payments to the Uni...
11 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
2025–2026 National Budget passed with 75% support in Parliament
Parliament has officially passed the 2025–2026 National Budget, with 75 percent of Members of Parliament voting in favour of the budget, matching ...
1 hour ago

Maharaj calls Pacific Polytech chair’s email “childish”, moves to cut funding but later withdraws motion
Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj has criticised the chairperson of Pacific Polytech for sending an email questioning the scrutiny of government funding ...
11 hours ago

Residents of Vugalei District warned to take precautions amid flooding
Residents in the Vugalei District, especially in the villages of Naimasimasi and Nadaro, are being urged to take extra caution due to heavy flooding ...
14 hours ago

CFL signs Radio Media Partnership with Homecoming Festival Fiji 2025
Homecoming Festival Fiji has officially signed a radio media partnership with South Pacific's largest radio broadcaster, Communications Fiji Limited, ...
15 hours ago

Landslide occurs along Kings Road in Manoca
People must remain cautious as a landslide has occurred along Kings Road in Manoca, opposite Mara Road, extending into the Rewa River. The Fiji ...
16 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Professor Prasad on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
The show will focus on the 2025/2026 National Budget.
9 days ago

Tui Nayau and Tui Lau Installation
The ceremony for the installation of the Tui Nayau Sau ni Vanua o Lau will be held tomorrow, while the installation ceremony of the Tui Lau will be held in Tubou on Thursday.
11 days ago

CFL 40th Birthday
CFL’s 40th Anniversary celebrations to culminate with free concert at Albert Park on ...
14 days ago

TOP