Dad teaches children value of farm work
EPARAMA Keteca is using the extended school break to teach his children the benefits of working the land.
While many Fijians are snuggled up under their blankets during this cold weather snap, his two children accompanied the 47-year-old to their Salababa Rd farm.
“I used to sell dalo to the exporters and also sold lovo packs on Sundays but after the outbreak happened, I couldn’t sell lovo packs because many people didn’t have jobs or money,” he said.
“I depend on farming entirely and I go to the market three days a week to wholesale my produce.
“I have told my children they have to work on the farm early in the morning and then have breakfast.
“I have also divided the farm area and designated where each will plant, they will sell whatever they harvest and earn something for themselves.
“It is a good learning experience for them, they will upskill themselves and learn the importance of farming.”
Mr Keteca said COVID-19 had not affected his family because they sourced their food from the farm.
He said farming was the key to survival during the COVID-19 crisis.
“During this pandemic, only those who do farming will survive and this is important, especially for those who are laid off from work and do not have any other source of income.”
He said he was exploring other crops to see how lucrative they were.
“I have started planting cucumber, sweet potatoes and am also planning to try cash crop farming.
“I encourage everyone to do farming during these difficult times because it is a source of income and a food source at the same time.”