Fiji's push for greater utilisation of land appears to be achieving results.
Among the changes introduced to boost economic activity are greater powers to make unused land productive and the introduction of a Land Bank.
Fiji's Permanent Secretary for Lands, Filimoni Kau, says central aspects of the Land Bank mean interest from landowners and investors is growing day by day.
He says government involvement gives stability and security of tenure and greater efficiency to focus on important sectors:
"To ensure that we at least target first the government's priority sectors; agriculture, tourism and basically reserve land that could be used or taken up by investors interested in those sectors."
Filimoni Kau says the first land into the Land Bank was the area in Bua now leased to a Chinese company which has been given a lease to mine for bauxite, or aluminium ore
