The mountains surrounding Naruwai Village, Bua in Vanua Levu is evidence of the richness and diversity of its flora and fauna and fertility of its soil.
Naruwai village has about 90 households and is home to about 185 people who have learnt to work together for the betterment of their future generation.
Back in 1972, rice farming was done on an extensive scale where the farmers would work day and night in trying to make ends meet for their families.
After 15 years of implementation, the project failed due to several factors but some farmers still journeyed on because they believed that it was a worthwhile crop to grow.
54-year-old Penijamini Matakasa is one of those farmers that continued to plant rice and he has never regretted the decision that he made.
Several visits by the team from the Fiji Development Bank as well as the Minister for Primary Industries, Joketani Cokanasiga, the villagers felt that it was time they played their part and bring to life their potentials of revitalizing rice farming in the flatlands of Naruwai.
After a lot of discussions and determination from the villagers to try and revive rice farming, Government granted assistance worth $176,400 in the construction of a diversion weir, a sluice gate as well as the rehabilitation of the main canal including access and outlet drains to the rice fields.
Northern Senior Agriculture Officer for the Land and Water Resource Management Division (LWRM), Gyan Chandra says that most of the infrastructure that was built back in the 70’s was still intact but it needed major repairs as well as the construction of new canals that would guide the water to the rice fields.
“Once the farmers knew of our plans for them, the interest grew and we are proud to have worked with them as well as the Extension Division of the Department in revitalizing the rice farms here in Naruwai,” Gyan said.
Senior Agriculture Officer (Bua) Ilisoni Banuve says that farmers have grown attached to their rice farms because they know of the great potentials that lie within them.
“The revitalization of this project is intended to improve the income earning capacity of the farmers, promote exports and reduce import, reduce the rate of unemployment as well as allow better utilization of available resources to generate income,” said Banuve.
After several trainings, the extension officers and farmers mapped out ways and means of their planting programmes and the technicalities of rice farming.
A Naruwai farmer starts land preparation for rice planting
“The enthusiasm and drive was present in all of them and it was also overwhelming to see the support of the women and children,” explained Banuve.
“The women would all go the fields and help out on the rice paddies and as for the children, after they return from school, they would all race to the fields to see whatever is happening on the farms,” Banuve said.
The Fiji Development Bank has been assisting in terms of loans to farmers for purchasing of farm implements such as ploughs, spike harrows, chain and bullocks as well as agro-inputs.
There are currently 60 hectares of land under rice and already farmers have begun harvesting their three month crop in June of this year.
Penijamini has a total of 15 acres of land of which 10 acres is being used for rice cultivation.
“I have been supplying rice to Rewa Rice Limited in Dreketi at $750.00 per tonne and it’s well earned money for us because it was through hard work,” Banuve said.
“We have also been getting a lot of advice and visits from the agriculture officials here in Bua and we are happy that we have been able to work closely with them in terms of sharing ideas and the way forward for us as farmers,” Penijamini said.
Penijamini added that it is quite difficult to get the young men away from the farms because they are deeply engrossed in land preparation, or planting and even harvesting for some.
“These young men have come to value the land so much and it is so hard to see them in the village hall whenever we have ministerial visits or visitors because they have now learnt to value the proper use of time,” explained Penijamini.
Coming from a big family, Penijamini admits that he does not want to put his children through hardships that he faced but to give them better lives.
“I have been concentrating on giving them the best in life and I know that even though I do not have a white collar job, I will be able to provide everything for them and even more through my own blood and sweat,” Penijamini said proudly.
The hardworking farmer is also the largest pineapple farmer in Bua and has about 25,000 pineapples already on the ground.
“It is easy money for me as I take my pineapples to Nabouwalu and await the arrival and departure of the passengers on the Spirit of Harmony ship.
“I can earn about $150-$200 daily just through my pineapple sales and I am happy that I have another commodity that I can rely on for my family’s income,” Penijamini said.
“Farming nowadays is all about learning as well and I must say that gone are the days of traditional farming like what our forefathers used to do.”
“It is encouraging to note that we have Government expertise that are here for us here in Naruwai and we have been taking advantage of the technical services that is provided to us by the agricultural officials in Bua,” he added.
There are many more plans for the village of Naruwai and one of them is to also engage in dalo and vegetable farming.
“Now that we have a great water source, we are also exploring ways in which we can start our village commercial dalo as well as vegetable cultivation.”
“We are still taking things one day at a time but we know that eventually we will get there.”
But for now, the farmers in Naruwai are still going about their daily business and tending to their rice farms and keeping their fingers crossed for a bumper harvest each time they plant.