Hardwork Pays Off for Devesh and Bharos Farms
The Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) congratulates Devesh and Bharos Farms for winning the Most Resilient Post
Tropical Cyclone Winston Award.
This is the first time that such an award has been bestowed in the 2017 Fiji Development Bank’s National Small and Medium Enterprises Awards. In a statement, the central bank said: “We believe that while Fiji experiences natural disasters, businesses must also have contingency plans to rebuild and grow further.
“Devesh and Bharos Farms demonstrated resilience in all aspects of their business. “They not only bounced back and continued with their business but they grew to be one of the nurseries used by the European Union and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to support the rehabilitation of Fijian farmers post Tropical Cyclone Winston.”
Through the EU funded Improvement of Key Services to Agriculture programme, Devesh and Bharos Farms supplied 20,000 fruit and vegetable seedlings to the Ministry of Agriculture. This enhanced Fiji’s food security efforts as farmers were provided with seedlings to regrow their crops.
To further heighten its disaster resilience, the company stored its seedlings in containers which were slightly modified for storage. “We applaud Devesh and Bharos Farms for their innovative thinking as well as reaching out to partners like the Fiji Development Bank (FDB) and Market Development Facility (MDF) who provided the necessary assistance when required.
“It was through FDB and MDF including assistance from the family members that the company was able to meet the increased demand for seedlings.”
The company now has a new greenhouse which can raise 70,000 seedlings per month. The facility has the capacity to raise three million seedlings a year.
The company has great potential to increase its production, grow more varieties of crops and add to the Fiji’s economic growth as well as provide employment opportunities. “We congratulate are Devesh and Bharos Farms for their resilience in their business plans and having the drive to bounce back and do even better.
“We also commend the company for winning the 2017 National SME of the Year Award, Climate Change Responsive SME Award and the Green Conscious SME Award. “We acknowledge the business spirit of the managing director Devesh Nath and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
– Winner 2017 National SME of the Year in the National SME of the Year Category sponsored by Fiji Development Bank
Devesh and Bharos Farms is commercial nursery in Votualevu, Nadi supplying high quality seedlings and other crops suitable for export to a network of local farmers, tourism wholesalers as well as exporters of agricultural produce at large volumes. Devesh and Bharos Farms has championed in its local community by showing considerable contribution to creation of decent work by employing close to 20 locals, of which 15 are women.
Farmers with access to quality seedlings from DBF are better enabled to produce higher yields and new varieties of crops throughout the year, enabling them to plat produce during off-season periods.
This positions the SME to promote financial inclusivity in its clienteles’ community apart from just providing a highly-valued local service. As farmers produce more and better quality produce, their sales to exporters and the tourism sector increases, in turn increasing their own incomes.
TC Winston caused considerable loss to Devesh and Bharos Farms’s seedling stock and structural damages to their nursery in 2016 and was assisted by the Fiji Development Bank [FDB] and Market Development Facility [MDF] for rehabilitation.
The SME showed resilience and did not just bounce back for business but became one of the nurseries used by the EU and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) to support the rehabilitation of Fijian farmers post TC Winston.
To strengthen its own disaster resilience, DBF has employed the idea of storing its seedlings in containers which have been slightly modified for storage.
The facility has the capacity to raise three million seedlings a year.
Winner of the Green Conscious SME Award in the Value-adding SMEs Category sponsored by New India Assurance Fiji
New India Assurance congratulates DeveshNath, Devesh and Bharos Farms on being rightly felicitated with Green Conscious Award for the 2017 FDB National SME awards.
New India Assurance Company Limited, Fiji Chief Operating Officer, Devesh Nath and Subhash Mehta said: “I am sure, recognition of your contribution to the industry by way of felicitating such prestigious awards to you would not only encourage you, but also foster development and growth as a whole and shall benefit one and all to the society.
“We being the South Pacific Island country are the most vulnerable to the ill effects of Climate Change. “Devastating effects of TC
Winston will never be forgotten and even to date. “This is widely understood and accepted by the entire world and rightfully led by a country none other than Fiji by championing its cause and successfully convening COP23 in Germany recently.
“Fiji has also recently introduced Green Bonds which also underscore Fiji’s determination to fight against the climate change and foster the green environment in the economy.”
New India Assurance takes a pride being associated to sponsor Green Conscious Award and thereby contributing to the above objective of fostering growth and development to the nation as a whole.
“We also would like to announce that Devesh and Bharos, who are Winner of Green Conscious Award would be given 20 per cent discount by us on their existing premium on all their General Insurance Policies due for renewal in the year 2018.
“Once again, our heartiest congratulations to Devesh and Bharos for this stellar performance and wish them more accolades in time ahead.”