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By Kuini Waqasavou- Ministry of Primary Industries It is not often that you come across a working farming group that are all aged above 60 but do not even look the part. This is the case for seven hardworking farmers of Tavualevu Village in Tavua who have taken up the call of the ‘vanua’ in toiling the soil for a worthy cause. And that is to finish building their Yavusa o Bila Hall which will only be used by the clan members for special meetings and so forth. Tavualevu Village is understood by many as the largest village in the whole of the country as it has about over 1000 families. The village itself houses the Turaga na Tui Tavua, Ratu Ovini Bokini and is managed by eight Turaga ni koro’s. It has its own primary and secondary school which has students from all over the Tavua District attending it. The village has set itself goals like improving village life and standards and priority for the education of the children which is to be achieved by 2011.
And what better way to achieve this but through farming and teaching its values to the upcoming generation of Tavualevu. Spokesman for the farming group, Akariva Nasaunokonoko says that a committee was set up by the Turaga na Tui Tavua, Ratu Ovini Bokini and they were given instructions on what to do for the benefit of the whole village. “That is when we decided that it was time that we got our heads together and think of a great idea on how we could carry out the great responsibility bestowed upon us.” “What other way to kick-start our program then to start our own farm as we all know the rewards that is in the land waiting to be explored,” said Akariva. After acquiring a piece of land that is in the outskirts of the village, the group of seven got to work with a lot of enthusiasm.
“With the great assistance and advise from the Acting Agricultural Technical Officer here in Tavua, we got to work and did not waste any time.” The journey began in July of this year and there was no turning back for them. “There was a lot of determination from all of us and I know that it was the motivating factor that we needed to continue,” says Akariva. Although most of them have white hair, the firm look in their eyes speaks volumes of strength and determination. And the strength of their farm lies in their prized farming activities and their first ever harvest in the beginning of October of this year. “It was a great time of bonding again for us seven members and we are ever so grateful for the assistance by the Tavua Agriculture Office.” Acting Agricultural Technical Officer Vinay Swami says that the farm will go a long way because of the perseverance shown by the group members. “It has been encouraging to note the hard work and efforts that have been put in by the farmers and if everybody could return to the land like them, we could have enough to feed our families and the local markets as well,” he explained. Vinay said that land preparation was not a problem for the village as they used the farm machineries owned by village folks and just bought fuel for it. “We gave them seeds to kick-start their vegetable production and now that it has been harvested, I can say that they have really achieved something.” The planting techniques coupled with the rich soil gave them the extra boost and it attributed to their success. “We used correct spacing for the vegetables that we planted in our farm and tried not to use a lot of chemicals because we wanted them to grow healthy.” There was so much support from the village that the young and able men of the village would help them in whatever little ways they could. With their first harvesting, the group managed to harvest two tonnes of watermelon and 50 kilograms of capsicums. “It was really great and it motivated us further to continue this farming project so that we could earn enough for our village project,” explained Akariva. The seven members are looking forward to harvesting more crops during this off-season and are hoping to fetch some good cash for it. “We are planning to plant in both seasons of vegetable farming because we believe that the more we plant and harvest, the easier we can achieve our goals and we do not have to depend on anybody for the money,” smiled Akariva. He adds that achieving the first harvest gave them enough reason to believe that they still have what it takes to be successful people in life. “This farm has taught us so many lessons in life and if at one time we had felt helpless, then this farm changed our way of thinking altogether.” “This farm brought us together and we have strengthened our family ties knowing that we have one thing in common and that is to persevere in what we have been called to do to the village of Tavualevu,” he smiled softly. The group hopes that they can be an example to the youths of Tavualevu and the whole of the country as well. “Farming is something that we used to do when we were young, but on a subsistence level and now with our age and the things that we are achieving, I believe that farming has now developed to a whole different level.” The group members only wish that time went back to when they were twenty years old so that they could have more energy and strength to carry out more farming activities. “At least we know that we have set the precedence for the village of Tavualevu and we are sure that the youths will follow suit,” said Akariva with determination. The farm has gained attention from the whole village and more land is being given for their farming activities. This they hope will open the eyes of those that are still taking farming for granted because they believe that everything can be achieved in this life is the heart is willing. ENDS |
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