Thank you D.Robert.Meyenn for your comments on the above subject. While I agree with your view to retain labour & develop our own country, what you haven't mentioned are the realities in light of the following.

[1] Agriculture development cannot take place in outerspace, but on land. The unending disputes over land ownership and rights is a fact that only solomon islanders can be accounted for.

[2] Fruit picking is one thing and running a farm is another. Your concern is that we should do as the NZ farmers - i.e run farms. Now think for a moment and ask yourself whether we have the infrustruture & technical know hows.

You may say that it is gov't's failure - true. Thus is it not fashionable for SI to help themselves? When are we going stop the attitude of waiting for gov't to deliver services at our doorsteps?

In short fruit picking in NZ is better still than blank expectations from the gov't.