Land is gold says Farmer
Land is gold for Jone Nasulibawa, who is a successful farmer in Navai village in the district of Nadarivatu. Originally from Nasukamai in Ra, the father of five was one of the 19 farmers who successfully harvested potatoes at Navai Agriculture Station on Saturday.
The 67-year-old father and grandfather shared his story of how he spent his lifetime in the farming business and the success he had achieved throughout the years.
“I was born here in Navai. Since I left school, I haven’t worked anywhere. The only job I do is farming. I got married with children and all of them had good education and are working and living on their own. I supported them with my farming business,” said the father of five. “I was also able to achieve more things than people with good jobs living in town and cities. I have got four Lorries (5 tonnes) and I have built two big houses in the village and that was the money from farming.
“We are not using it in the way that it needs to be used. Before I was born, Chinese people used to live around here and they made use of this land by planting and selling their product. When growing up I was motivated by their work. I thought if they made use of our land why can’t we, the iTaukei rise up to that level of being successful in businesses,” he said.
“The hindrance that we were faced with, was trying to find markets to sell our produces. My wife and I travelled daily to Suva to sell but now it is easy for us to bring all our harvest here at the farm gate and the Agricultural Marketing Authority comes and buy it.”
“I sell potatoes, cabbage, capsicum, tomatoes and many other vegetables. I did not gave up, I kept on doing what I loved to do. Gold is in the land, we have been created from it and also our blessings are in it. I believe that in order for us to achieve big things in life we have to work hard for it and one day we will reap its fruit.”
“We have seen the good things the Government has been doing to us. We also need to play our part and use what we already have to support our family, provide good education for our children and also contribute to the community,” Mr Nasulibawa added.