Vanuatu Kava a Potential Export Commodity

Kava or Piper methysticum is a crop of the Western Pacific and is widely used as a ceremonial beverage for centuries. It is a crop that demands aging for maturity as some plants take for at least 4 years then its ready for harvest. The potency of the kava depends mainly on soil type, weather and the number of years it has been grown for.

In Vanuatu kava is an integral part of their daily lives as it has been used as a substitute for crops like cocoa and copra which have an unstable price, whereas kava price remains to be consistent. Most farmers in Malekula Island in Vanuatu farm Kava to be sold as green kava for 200 Vatu per kg. In the village of Mae alone on the northern part of Malekula Island a total of 16 farmers have an estimate of 60 tonnes ready for harvest. A few weeks ago I visited the farmers to train them on how to add value to this crop so as to reap a maximum return on this long term crop. 

The kava market  is mainly Santo and Port Vila but the farmers always complain that buyers often cheat them by not paying total sale price thus discouraging them to sell. As it is there is alot of matured kava ready but farmers do not agree with the market price and conditions. Upon enlightening them on the value adding of kava from green to dry, the farmers are eager to take this on and try to export dry kava through a local exporter. Even though there is a kava exporter in Santo the farmers still feel that their produce are sold undervalued. 

Mae Kava farmer Kaloris Mone in total has over 1600 kava stumps of which 800 are 7 years old. In calculation of this 800  kava stump it can average a weight of 30 Kg thus can give a yield of around 24 tonnes earning him 4.8 million vatu. 

Adding value to this commodity is not as hard as one may think as Nivans thought that it was pretty complicated process. It will only take 2 weeks for kava to be 100% dry and ready for sale to exporters. This extra work could earn them over 400% more from a kg compared to selling them green. It was good to see the smiling faces of the farmers when they were told the potential their crop has as an export commodity.

Social Media Reporter in Agriculture-My Story

Background

Farming was the first industry to be established in this world and remains to be very important to Humans as for survival and this is confirmed through the life of Adam in the Bible. 

Fiji is blessed with a tropical weather and fertile soil but only a minority regard farming as a lucrative venture to find a career in it. The Fiji flag has even depicted agriculture on it.

I grew up in a small dairy farm on the outskirts of Korovou Town in Tailevu which was milking a little over 20 heifer daily. It was quite a distant to walk from the milk shed to the next serviced road where trucks cart  milk to the Rewa Dairy factory. 

The farm had to process cream through a cream separator machine and only have to get them to the road once a week. During weekends and school holidays we normally help in carrying this heavy cans, but it was fun.

Experience
From an early age I had an experience of farming which

youths of the network planting dalo

 was mainly dairy but personally I had a passion for crops. I always had  vegetables and root crops growing around our farm house and even when moving to Suva had a vegetable plot behind my flat. 

With all the passion in farming, I am now I am an executive of our young farmers network in the central

division and currently constructing a farm filed school where we can share our experiences with youths around the area. 

I  have an 8 acre land which i am farming organic vegetables and raising seedlings for customers. I started farming way back in 2007 but had issues with land and have decided to have my own leased land now. Just last week I started negotiations again with landowners to acquire another 20 acres for an organic ginger project and this is progressing well.

Pacific Youths in Organic Agriculture

In my efforts to attain organic accreditation I applied to attend a workshop which was conducted by the Pacific Organic & Ethical Trade Community (POETCOM). This workshop was in Port Villa in Vanuatu where it basically introduced organic principles and farming methods. This was an informative seminar and I did gain alot from the meet in broadening my knowledge and skills in organic farming. 

ICT in Agriculture
My view of  farming was very isolated until I had a call from Secretariat of the Pacific Community(SPC) in November of 2012 inviting me to attend a workshop in using web tools in agriculture. At first i asked myself,"ICT for agriculture", what it this?

Web 2.0 Training @USP 2012

At this training I was the only Farmer  to be among participants which was dominated by agricultural officers. Through this training I was able to acquire skills in using the internet tools for agricultural . I was amazed as most information I needed from extension officers were just a click away. This is the power of the internet! I saw the potential to increase my knowledge in farming and also explore ways to run farming as a business for income generation.




Blogging
I began to blog away the activities that I was doing at my farm and start to share my farming experience with the world. To blog is quite an effort as it takes time,money and commitment to be posting regularly on my blog. At times when I am fatigue I don't even have the strength to write a post on an important issue which is due for posting. 

Blogging is a free tool on the web and in the Pacific its usage in agriculture is insignificant. Through my blog viewers have related for advice in farming and also shared of their experiences. This has motivated me to continue blogging even-though the challenges I face as the benefits outweigh the costs.


In early September, SPC  organised a regional meet for youths in agriculture training them in web tools also I participated and was asked to present on what I did. This training was supported by The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA).   Through my presentation the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Mr Ropate Ligairi was present and commended my efforts and the  farmers group on what we were doing. I was surprised a week later when Mr Ligairi did a surprise visit to my farm to check out for the group and the farm filed school which we were building.


To be visited by such a man of authority is overwhelming and rarely happens and to me as a farmer it shows that in our little worlds we can be recognised if we continue to work hard and smart everyday. Although the work I do for our network is voluntary, I have faith that it is not to waste as our vision for engaging youths in agriculture will be achieved come tomorrow.

Through this blogging I am now training myself to be a social media reporter in agriculture and gaining experience each day. Through these skills acquired our network of farmers are also introduced to social media, thanks be to Web 2.0 fro development training .  I saw the COP19 social media boot camp advertised and applied through my abstract and was given an opportunity to be part of this learning event. 

I will be attending COP19 Social Media Bootcamp to learn and expand my knowledge base in social media, learn from experienced social media reporters, network with these reporters. Social media is new and at the moment and its use in the Pacific is merely on social entertainment/networking, it’s not effectively used to boost economic development. And this is why  in attending this meeting I will be able to assist our network and our country, and the Pacific region to change the way youths use social media for and the perception that it’s not for fun only but rather for agriculture as a career. 

I never thought that farming could bring me this far, now I am a social media reporter in agriculture!

Fiji Ginger on High Demand

There is something special when the world talks about ginger and its health benefits when consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice.

Fiji’s ginger is renowned for its unique flavor and high in oleoresins but low in fiber. Recently the Australian quarantine authorities have given us Fiji the green-light for our ginger to resume entry into their market. Fiji’s farmers and exporters are confident that it will gain wide acceptance and demand in the Australian market.

Agronet has prepared for it organic ginger planting material for 2014. We are starting with 1 chain which will have enough planting material for 2 acres. To my knowledge there is only 2 farms in Fiji which have been certified for organic ginger. 
This seedling chain will be used by the whole network in our experimentation of organic manures like seaweed, fish oil, and poultry manure. It will be a learning ground for all the farmers in organic ginger farming in the Central Division.

I caught up with Mr Kaiming, the ginger exporter who owns Kaiming Agro in Navua, and he mentioned to me that he demands 200 tonnes of organic ginger by 2014. At the moment only 20% of his export demand is met. He suggested to work with a group of farmers to farm to collectively achieve his tonnage demand.

My bid to partake in this business has triggered me to purchase  an extra 20 acres which is capable to farm and expected 20 chains with a minimum of 1.5 tonnes per chain.

Mobile Reporting Solution

Often there are hiccups with reports being clear,brief, accurate, concise, timely and reliable for decision makers. In the Pacific most remote areas lack electricity, computer and the internet which makes reporting even harder.  

A software developer recently developed an application which can be installed on a mobile phone and used to report on the targeted activity. The app works well even if the network coverage has only one signal bar on reception. But interestingly which mobile provider in Fiji will offer their service cheaply to implement this type of application.

Practically his reporters used to give excuses that electricity is out, no paper to photocopy report sheets, fax fault, etc, the list goes on but with this app it has fitted in well in the reporting process and the reporters are able to report like never before.

In Fiji we will deploy this app once we will secure a donor to fund the implementation with farmers who are members of our syndicate. The app installation will be free but only to members. The farmers desperately need this information bank on the palm of their hand. Mobile revolution in Fiji has penetrated well with levels well and above 100 percent. Some users even are using more than 1 network to communicate.

This app will attend to some basic issues which farmers face daily. For instance consider farmers in the highlands where roads are ill-maintained and transport is even harder to get to extension centers for advice. With a mobile installed with this app, costs are minimized, travelling time are waived, information is readily available when the need arise. 

This digital empowerment  bridge's the digital divide which is by far the widest in the rural communities. Smallholder farmers not only are accessible to information on farming but also on markets and current prices. In this way farmers are able to establish the costs which are involved from production to harvesting and marketing, wittingly the fruit of their labor.

In Fiji when comparing Digicel and Vodafone with their coverage Digicel is better and 3G is consistent while vodafone it drops to GSM in the outskirts of the islands.

Nadi Bay Herbs: A Success Story

basil seedlings at the nursery

Nadi Bay Herbs has been exporting herb to NZ since 1992, the farm is 47 acres of which 15 acres are in full production.The main export crop is basil which is processed and sold on the market. Ranges of other herbs are also exported and sold within Fiji the Company supply to hotels, resorts and the locals.

Recently I visited the farm and had an opportunity to speak with Mr John Kemp the owner of this successful business. They have been rebuilding their farm after they were badly hit by cyclone last year where most of the infrastructure were critically damaged.

They export basil which is a core produce of the farm to New Zealand at a volume of over 50 tonnes yearly. Apart from basil also lemon grass is exported. 

Even though this is a herb farm, they also farm tomatoes, capsicum, lettuce on the side for some of their local clients.

NBH major market are overseas and their focus has been for export in their production. I asked Mr Kemp why they have heavily focused on export and he said this words, 

" to sell local we have higher overhead costs because we deliver our clients on a daily basis and above all we have bad paying clients which incur bad debts. Even-though they are hotels they still run up their accounts and never pay up, that's why we stopped as it uneconomical to continue'

This is a good lesson to us farmers who have clients that you run after for payment. For instance if you total your extra costs like telephone  fuel, legal, etc that you incur to recover your debts, eventually it turns out to be the same as your recovered debt. What a waste and this is why we farmers need to be wise and alert not to be burdened by bad debtors and it is always good to have cash transactions to avoid all this hassle.

I noticed that alot of women worked as laborers and asked Mr Kemp why was that, he answered saying that he has a strict scheduling to be followed and only women are able to meet this. He goes on to say that women are more disciplined than men and he has had men as supervisors but could not cope with the demand from his business. 

This trait of women is a fact and they tend to be more careful and cautious when they handle plants from the nursery to the fields and the harvesting. We men are challenged through this fact and need to be more disciplined in all the areas of our lives especially if we are running a farm to support our family.

One significant point raised to me was that soil color at the farm are starting to change from red to be more darker. Mr Kemp said that he does not farm the herbs but rather farms the soil. He at the moment is nearly fully organic as all ingredients for fertilizers are green and brown materials with sugar mill waste and poultry manure . He doesn't use alot of poultry manure as it is too acidic and increases soil acidity. This is good to know as we use alot of poultry manure in the central division little do we realize the effect it has. Soil testing is done regularly in his farm and this is how concerned he is on how healthy is his farm soil.

Apart from the above discussions, a farm of such magnitude needs soil health to be monitored and nurtured to give a nutrient balance thus supporting plant health better. 

Lessons from NBH:

1. Have a farm plan and strictly follow it
2. Women are more Reliable
3. Grow your soil for a sustainable future
4. Practice organic farming principles as it lowers costs..

Fiji to develop innovation in Agriculture

Small Holder Farmers.
Today I read a blog post by Him Khortieth of Indonesia blogging the presentation by  Mrs. Miliakere Nawaikula, Director of Research, Fiji Agriculture Research Division, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Primary Industries. She was presenting on how the ministry was working ways to assist smallholder farmers in Fiji. 

Click here if you want to read more! 

Web 2.0 Training and Exchange Workshop

PACIFIC YOUTHS TRAINED IN WEB TOOLS

This week a group of youths from the Pacific who engage directly with agriculture are being trained with web tools and how they can be used for information sharing in their field of work. A wealth of knowledge is being gained specifically with Google plus, blogging, climate change in agriculture portals, privacy settings in social media tools. Social media tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, twitter,etc.

These deep insights are being learned through practical discussions and debates helping individual delegates and live exercises. The youths are enjoying this opportunity to learn this tools which is widely used in the web and how they can effectively used in their context.

Participating countries include PNG, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Solomon, Vanuatu, and Fiji. The participants are mostly agricultural offices a nd some IT personnel also.

Interestingly delegate is an IT Manger from PNG and we were amazed when he presented on a mobile solution he developed and how that technology is address time and money consumption levels in his organisation. It has minimized paper work and all information gathered is on real time without delay considering the geographical factor in PNG.

I was invited to present on what work I was doing in agriculture and in its relation to ICT. Well as an advocate for organic I was moved by the interest shown by the delegates and also them being keen in using web tools to reach out to their target audience.
I discussed the issues I faced using ICT' along with its impacts on the work I do.

Organics in the pacific is slowly gaining momentum in its awareness as the delegates are more familiar with what is involved in it. They really liked how the blog is being laid out, the content and the passionate spirit behind it all.

This delegates are sponsored by IFAD, GIZ, and SPC. This program is for one week and each delegate will need to create a blog and present to the group by Friday to test their understanding on this web tool.

POETCOM Visits Farm Field School (FFS)

Yesterday was a special day for our group of youths at
the farm as Steve Hazelman from S.P.C. who works

for POETCOM visited our farm to catch a glimpse of the vision we have for the youths of Fiji. He came to survey the progress of the FFS which we are currently working on which is to be operable by January 2014.

Efforts of volunteer work are at times tiring and sometimes discouraged when no recognition of your input to fulfill a dream in your heart. But its passion that drives us to achieve and complete what we have desired and that to impact youths in Fiji who are idle in their villages, communities, settlements, or peri-urban areas where they live in.

Today with this visit the group was overwhelmed to be visited by an organisation of such caliber which has really boosted the morale of the network to another level. To become a volunteer is a challenge but the passion is what that is driving us to achieve our dream.

SMS Marketing System- Call to Mobile Operators!

Is ICT's helping farmers make most of produce?

Fiji farmers are on the loosing end when it comes to pricing and search of markets for their produce. They are enticed by briefcase businessman, middlemen and opportunists at markets looking to make easy money from Farmers laborious produce. To date middlemen turn up at farm gates with heaps of cash coming ready to buy  produce even before harvesting. This is how desperate these money minded are fetching for produce to service their customers.

Ben in their  bongo chilly farm in Tailevu

In fact the cost of these intermediaries are sure to occur , consumers and farmers are victims of such practices. On the other hand we can argue that intermediaries make the connections from the farm gate to the consumer, well I see this as a consequence  of an outdated and dysfunctional communication service.

ICT development and its focus to address agricultural issues which farmers face is neglected while promotions in the media are more of making money rather than develop the people for economical advancement.

Particularly in Fiji, mobile technology is one which is cheap, affordable and widely used in Fiji and highlighted by the Bainimarama Government having a penetration of over 110 percent. This is a result of the public using two or more mobile networks. This is amazing and demonstrates a population that are swelled in curiosity of mobile use but this statement can be challenged with  aggressive competition and marketing by service providers. In Fiji you can even witness people having more than one mobile phone all connected with some changing SIM cards frequently and others having dual or triple SIM phones.

see our youths attending to their mobile while working on our ginger 

In fact information and communication technologies (ICTs) present opportunities to small scale farmers to extend their agri-businesses into viable and sustainable ones. Fiji's traditional farmers have great potential to secure a future in this promising industry, but bad experiences have dampen their spirits due to lack of observance from relevant stakeholders to fulfill their dreams and passions. Mobile providers have a role to play in our society by working out a way to connect farmer's to their markets at the best reasonable (fair) price with a produce of caliber.

Take for illustration produce bought by a middlemen at a farm gate. The produce will be or maybe harvested the day before so it will reach the market ready for resale the next day (one day gone) then other middlemen will buy for retailing in their markets (thus 2 days gone) how fresh will the produce be, this is my point. Hapless Consumers  are the end users who purchase and consume these produce, quality is no longer there, in fact freshness eventually drops, oh no, someone needs to change this.

The ICTs are not addressing the need to better the way small-scale farmers access the market. Even-though their has been efforts but no commitment is evident from them. On the other side, the Bainimarama government has been promoting consumption of vegetables and fruits to fight NCD's (Non-Comunicalble Diseases). Let alone the use of chemicals on agricultural produce, the freshness is another issue which we farmers need  our concerns to be voiced and heard. This blog is a whistle blower for small holder farmers, a minority group in the eyes of stakeholders and we are deliberately ignored  .


If ICTs are addressing the need to better the way small-scale farmers access their market's, more youths in Fiji would have created an interest in farming rather than wasting valuable time on social media networks available and promoted by mobile companies, like Facebook. Failure to access market has been one of the greatest challenges that Fiji's small scale farmers have been facing. But if with the use of ICTs in accessing market places and prices, the plight of these farmers could soon be history. Farmers are selling produce well below market rates because their is lack of knowledge about market prices. This limitation leaves farmers to be exploited by businessmen.

working on my nursery

There are models in this issues discussed above being successfully implemented in the world and we need to learn from them in order to put in place a system using the SMS to help farmers sell their crop at attractive prices.

Our group is committed to introduce such system with any mobile providers in order to give small holder farmers commercial power and make best decision where to sell their produce. Its a simple short code for wet push, that's the language of mobile tech.

We are ready to collaborate with interested service providers to kick start what is going to become the virtual market of Fiji in the years to ahead.

Companionship at the Farm

At my farm I don't have the privilege of living with my family who stay at home in the City as its much easier for travel to school for Gideon. So to be out there in the jungle hearing sounds of insects from dusk gives a feeling especially crickets.

 


Urban people might be haunted with these sounds but they do sink some feelings to us farmers especially when we are alone in the wild. These are what we encounter on dark nights. But what about the day apart from farming, the weather, cooking, etc. If one is alone it must be boring especially being away from the family for a few days. I needed companions to interact with and sometimes take time to play with them. Even though we have cattle's and horses these two animal are quite huge in size and cant be around your house or get even closer due to their size.

One can be in a state of solitude if there is lack of interaction. To avoid all this fuss cats and dogs play a role with humans on this part. At the farm we are lucky to have dogs which provide security and early warning alarm for visitors but also as companions to me. A few weeks ago 2 puppies were were born to "beauty" who is one of the two dogs who are security guards in the farm.

Dairy waste an Organic Treasure

Milking sheds in Fijis dairy industry can identify a waste  collected and sell to organic farmers for liquid manure. Cow urine is valuable for farmers in organic as its usability is of high regard.

One will look stupid from the outset to collect this waste in Fiji but here we see an example in the picture below.

Its a waste but once collected could be sold for an income. There lies the challenge to milking shed boys to make an effort to contain waste (urine) when its discarded.

Not only cow urine even cow dung has also a potential to be sold to increase revenues. Recently in Fiji dairy farmers are comfortable with the increment of price on raw milk, but a little more could earn them cash.

Small holder farmers will the users of such product which organic farmers ultimately likely to procure.

Farmer's ICT Challenge

ICT training at all levels of society to support usage, innovation and buy-in are the missing element.The information bank in the web is undefined to its existence and the traffic and dissemination mediated overloads your inbox. Access to internet even  increases the concern as we challenge the ICT revolution.

We see the awareness of social media at a minimal but  Facebook usage for socializing exponentially grows. What will the future generation of Fiji use the mediums for? Current usage face alot of challenge and be discussed as the following.

The obstacles:

• access to internet and
• subject(intent) of its use

A. ACCESS TO INTERNET

Fiji authorities has been in the efforts of the digital divide attack initiatives to help Fijians keep up globally. Even NGOs have joined the cue to try and partake in bridging the information gap with internet presence. Youths using social media  currently need to join in partnership for development for a sustainable future. Internet providers providing service showcase profits from internet charged costs  but contribution for community development through ICT is minimal. 

B. INTENT of USE

Out a one country in the world, the Fiji flag portrays a count of agro produce to significantly show connection to agriculture. Agro participation from smallholder farmers and customers are limited and solutions providers need more action to address the digital divide. 

Facebook's could be the top of the list and emails is priority areas.Urban population have the edge over who are Farmers based in the rural. More focus providers should consider government initiatives for Farmers. From experience a solution identified is smartphone provision to counter which in fact is happening but not to the targeted audience. 

Recent published reports  can be viewed on this link: Vodafone Fiji 2012. So this significant highlights promotion of smartphone technology.

(Solution Provider) 

As users of such mediums are more available Farmers must be part of provision and development. This has lead awareness programs provided by SPC regional collaborating which is afoot including others not mentioned. 

Smartphone Technology is a solution in the digital divide and governments campaigns are commendable giving regulatory leeway. Consolidating all parties in agro development must be included minimizing coverage time for audience. 

Farmers produce have markets and there are intermediaries who complete the chain of markets. All players need to connect better so the other industry in our economy benefits. The impact and users network there is a hope youth of the Pacific will participates. As connectivity needs hype and the cost is another factor. There is need for program development to harness the need for connectivity of the rural community so some Farmers motives fulfilled.

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Short Chain Markets and Cost of Intermediaries

Today I was interviewing an Aunt of mine who has been a Suva market vendor for the last two years and how is she is managing to sell produce at the market without having a farm to supply her daily. In Suva most ethnic Chinese vendors and some Indo-Fijians are farmers themselves and sell their produce from their farm, usually after doing wholesaling in the early hours of the morning from 4 am to 6.30am.

I was interested in her Gobi or English cabbage which she buys from trucks coming all the way from the Sigatoka Valley. This wholesalers are not all farmers and some are middle men who buy produce from farm gates at low prices and cart them to Suva. One can imagine the cost incurred in the cartage and its effect on the price of the produce. I will not elaborate on the price as yet.

Who will bear this cost? This is a good question which you can answer yourself. Not only we can speak of costs but rather also the freshness of the produce comes into question considering the distance it has traveled. Farmers in the Central division need to attend to this issue and try farming with volume and quality so that produce sold are much cheaper and fresher compared to those from the western side of Viti Levu. One can argue that western farmers have the capacity to produce in large volumes compared to us in the central.

This lies the challenge to identify why they have the competitive edge over us. Upon close attention, these western farmers generally farm on flat land and use machines for ploughing the land. In the central its hard to find a pair of bullocks in Waibau or Wailase as indigenous or the i-taukei are the substitute. Frankly speaking its a pity to see mostly i-Tauukei ploughing the land for a very low return. Well its better for them to be labors rather than being their own boss. I once heard that farm labors in these areas often compete daily on who ploughs the most chains because the more the merrier.

Back to our topic of discussion with the cost of intermediaries between the producers and the consumers, the ICT revolution must be capitalized to its maximum benefit. In Fiji its rare to find farmers like me on the internet and having our presence felt. Even though social media awareness and usage thrives in Fiji its use is unproductive. Meaning its only used for entertainment and socializing whereas in the world users have put them to good use. The use of social media in Agriculture can have a positive effect on the costs of intermediaries. Youths in Fiji should use Facebook not only for social purposes but rather a more productive way by promoting agriculture and other areas of interest which can bolster their future.

Suva market is by far the biggest market in Fiji and this is why farmers from around the country run to with their produce due to high turnover rate. Someone in Suva should have a head count of all that enter the market on a Saturday to know roughly the number of consumers and vendors who are trading. I might do this exercise with our farmers network one-day.

There is a future in agriculture and youths in the central need to give it a try, take the first step, till and plant the land. Put their energy to good use if they are not occupied. Also their needs to be alot of awareness program conducted by stakeholders to promote this industry to Youths in Fiji.

AgroNet Fiji has formulated a marketing strategy to counter this costs and minimize the price of produce which customers buy for. Not only that, we have also farmed organically to try and feed our customers to be, healthy foods free from synthetic chemicals which farmers are generally using. Our produce procural prior to being harvested, fresh ca!! Vacava That!! keep  informed via this blog.

Right Ingredients

Last week I tried some organic pesticide recipes for ants that where attacking my long bean. I resorted to using baking soda mix which is baking soda, cooking oil, soap. I was researching the web for other recipes but was comfortable with the baking soda as the ingredients are readily available.

 I was quick in preparing the insecticide and spayed them on the plants exactly where the ants were infesting. When applying the mixture though spaying the ants were disturbed and on inspection the next day found that its was effective. I was pretty happy with the result and started boasting it with my wife Mel. While I was talking over the mixture I realize that instead of using baking soda I had baking power. Could not stop laughing over this mistake.

In fact I was somewhat lucky as the plants were not affected by the incorrect ingredients which was applied. I was worried about the plant health but daily I have observed that growth has not been halted but will have to wait for the fruits to see if damage has been done, hopefully nothing of that sort happens.

Its is very important to note the ingredients used are correct as if not they might have a drastic effect on the plant.

Enemy of Farmers- ButterFly

One will be able to mention a range of enemies which you fight and conquer all the time, but some will be left unswayed if your attention in detail is not thorough. When we speak of enemies its those species, humans, disasters that invade your ground and destroying your health and wealth. So its not about war in the battlefield only but in your daily lives where you tactically try to control them and overcome the threat they pose.

Farmers face a lot of enemies that attack their plantations and they are insects and pests which thrive feeding on leaves or fruits. This week a came across one enemy which I will name it the 'CATPEST' a caterpillar which we farmers struggle daily to try and minimize its attack on our produce. We admire a butterfly when its flies by but what it does is ruinous.

This week while we where harvesting tomatoes from a members farm, concurrently I was inspecting the fruits to try and scout for any enemy activity on them and I found a few of this catpest working their way into the fruits and it was amazing how they managed that.

Below is a short video showing how the catpest is feeding inside a tomato fruit and the appearance of the tomatoes while they are inside doing their stuff. One thing to note is the fruit is looking nice and ripe but interesting to know why the fruit stays good looking all this time while the culprit is feasting on it. 

So when you plant you have to guard! Please do leave your comments on your views of this enemy of farmers!!

SaMaka!

IKERI.....

Farming Tools & Equipments

TOOLS
Tools used in farming are a very important part in daily farm activities. The common ones are the bush knife, fork, and spade. In rural communities of Fiji these are the basic tools which are commonly used for generations especially with Fijian Villages as other races use other tools like a hoe, rake, etc.

The choice of which tools to be used can significantly affect time consumed in all the phases of planting until the harvest. When primary cultivation occurs there is enormous efforts needed for tree uprooting in ploughing land.  Not only its time consuming but drains a lot of your energy especially if you are an organic farmer trying to minimize tillage. The picture on the left shows a vegetable plot ploughed using a hoe and it is significant to see that one cannot tell which tool was used.


From my experience  I found that using a spade on newly cleared land is inefficient and rather prefer a hoe instead. Well it all depends on what produce you what to plant. As for vegetables it is always ideal to use a hoe as the organic matter on the top soil is not tilted much and vegetable roots get maximum nutrients uptake.

As a little child growing up in a traditional I-taukei village tools which other races use are not popular with them ans when one uses them they are pestered upon. This act discourages users of such tools in their farms. It is only manly to use the basic tools said above rather than the use of foreign tools in this context. This is a fact here in Fiji where using of hoe and other tools apart from the basic ones seemed abnormal to say or not Fijian. This is sad as others races here in Fiji who use them excel in their farming and eventually succeed. If only this traditional mind set  is rooted then may be ethnic farmers might feel the ease in work load.

IMPLEMENTS

Not only tools are barriers but the plough system used like Bullocks greatly assist farmers in ploughing large areas of land especially for commercial farms. Not only are they cheap to operate but the soil tillage of land is much better than using a tractor. The cost of a pair of bullock would normally range from $2K and above but for a tractor its much expensive. Not only tractors are expensive they have an overhead cost that adds up the expenses in production, like maintenance and fuel pricing soaring regularly.

AgoNet is working on its organic model farm for training of youths  in the Central Division and the use of farm implements like bullocks will be included in the course to try and introduce farmers to other viable means of farming. Our filed man who trains bullocks (Naita) will be the trainer in the coming months as part of the course of study .

In fact in the other parts of the country, the Northern and the Western parts of Fiji, the use of bullocks is common due to the sugar cane farming influence introduced by the indentured labors from India. This is evident as our trainer is from the Western Division and have been using and training bullocks for the last 20 years. There is a lot of experience here.

Advice I give to farmers is try not to limit yourself using basic tools but try out others as it will surely make a difference in your farm.

'Ka makawa, sa rauta mada!'

ORGANIC Defined- Fiji Context

A few days ago  I called up a market master asking if I can join the market with my organic produce, to my amaze I was thrown with the question, "What is That". This is a fact as both vendors and consumers are ill informed on the subject.

In Fiji the word organic is pretty foreign as it is not a daily word used in conversations. This is sad and reveals the state of understanding and use of organic produce. I wonder how many citizens of this country Fiji do take time to think of about what produce they buy for their meals. 

DEFINITION
'Organic agriculture involves the principles of health, ecology, fairness and care to ensure we are producing food to satisfy our current and future needs'

AgroNet Fiji is committed to create awareness on the importance of having organic produce for our diets. Organic agriculture on the other end is thus not a common practice here in Fiji. Traditional farmers might claim that they practice it but maybe part of it is organic and its incomplete in the sense that compost making is not seriously practiced.

Normally when a youth in Fiji drops out of the education system they either remain in urban centers or return to their villages where the elders will direct them to farm the land. With great enthusiasm the youths put in an effort to farm but at times poor soil fertility drives them away and confidence is lost.

If only they undergo a training on organic agriculture then they will be in a better position to succeed. This is a challenge on AgroNet Fiji to fully create its model farm in Naitasiri so that youths will be able to be trained on organic agriculture. At the end of 2013 the model farm should be ready for training purposes for the Central Division.

One socio-economic problem faced here is glue sniffing and its getting worse as females are also indulging in this deadly practice. Upon research glue sniffing is common in war torn areas of the world and I wonder how it has been introduced to Fiji. Urban drift is also a problem as here in Fiji and with introduction of organic farming Youths who are currently idle will be more productive and contribute to food supply. When Youths are idle they will wonder and be a thorn in society, so with agriculture there is hope. They can feed themselves and also earn a living making agriculture their profession.

So it is not only growing more food, but also reducing rural-urban drift and have positive impacts on a number of socio-economic problems herein Fiji.

INNOVATIVE
To lure Youths into agriculture is another mammoth task but it depends on what approach we take. Fiji youths most of  all have Facebook accounts so they are active on the social media so that's good  to start with, at least they are in the thick of it.

Agricultural development depends on innovation. Innovation is a major source of improved productivity, competitiveness, and economic growth throughout advanced and emerging economies, and plays an important role in creating jobs, generating income, alleviating poverty, and driving social development. If farmers, agribusinesses, and even nations are to cope, compete, and thrive in the midst of changes in agriculture and economy, they must innovate continuously.

- The World Bank on Agriculture Innovation Systems (AIS)

I for sure believe that the use of social media and other we tools will be of great interest to the Youths of Fiji to engage in Organic Agriculture.

This initiative launched by AgroNet Fiji will see the awareness and practice of good farming techniques in the future and also market access to farmers. All we need is support from relevant stakeholders so that our vision can be manifested thus contribute to human development. 

Fiji Experience

Plants Need Balanced Nutrients
The deterioration of Soil fertility has been caused by factors in such as, climate change, use of synthetic fertilizer and poor farming practical techniques. Synthetic fertilizers (SF) are quick solutions for farmers to achieve a better yield so as to cover cost of planting and return a margin. Applying SF disrupts the natural Eco-system in the soil leading to a nutrient imbalance absorbed by plants.

In real terms from my experience  our yield in produce has been deteriorating due to poor nutrient content of the soil. For the long term, synthetic fertilizers are very harmful to the natural ecosystem of soil micro-organisms who do the balancing of nutrients. The practice of using synthetic fertilizers is costly and is harmful to the environment and humans. Also the uses of SF can be driven by the demand in the market to avoid shortage in supply and human hunger is contained. In fact there are downsides to this as mentioned above.

Organic Manure is the Solution
I am currently practicing good soil management which is low tillage and using compost or organic manure to fertilize our produce. The reason for change is that ethically it is wrong to be using chemical indirectly on humans for the sake of making money. We have a lot of cases of mass production of vegetables and root crops in Fiji where consumers are left uninformed on the effects of such practice. In Fiji, distinguishing organic and non-organic produce at a local market would not be possible as all are sold at the same price.

Through our network of small holder farmers we are advocating for organic so consumers are not lured by greenly vegetables who are boosted by SF. They do look fresh and healthy but to take closer attention on the produce through lab tests would be something interesting.

The benefits of Organic manure is by far the best mode of practice for young and aspiring farmers who would like to make a future in agriculture. Composting outweighs the use of SF because of the following reasons:
Why Compost??

1. It has a balanced nutrient supply
2. It is cheap as most materials are readily available
3. Does not harm the natural ecosystem
4. Environmentally friendly
5. Good for plant uptake, absorbent
6. Sustainability

Farming in Fiji are regarded as a low class for a profession as only school dropouts fit into. At first these Youths have confidence to start up farms but normally they plant the usual taro and cassava which takes time for harvest. Added to this is the cost of fertilizer, weedicides and pesticides and these has a deterrent effect and loss of confidence to continue farming. Little do they realize that these can be home made  organically at a very minimal cost. If you need any recipes please subscribe to our mailing list to get a copy.

When these Youths leave agriculture they tend to drift to urban centers attracted to the lifestyle and to seek opportunities. Well and good some as they find odd jobs but others are more likely to indulge in illegal activities to support themselves. Glue sniffing is a rising problem in Fiji and it will harm the current generation if we don't act collectively towards advocacy on agriculture.

A challenge is out there to try and get Youths occupied so they are not vulnerable to social distractions and exploited, so as to have a future for themselves.

The three factors of production to any economy are Land, Labor, and Capital. For a farmer to go organic the probability of success is high due to the availability of resources for a start.

Yes there is hope in Agriculture!!

Why not become your own boss!!

Fertile Nursery- ROBUST Seedlings,

Soil management in all phases of plant growth is very important to the high yield to any production. With our tropical climates and the changing weather patterns farmers are challenged to initiate innovative techniques to curb this global problem. Climate change is taking its toll.

From the preliminary stages of planting which is nursing a seed to grow a healthy seedling offers high probability of a successful yield in production of any farm produce.  Experts who practice nursery techniques even go to the extent of cooking soil to ensure a healthy seed is germinated.

The importance of a vibrant and vigorous plant is essential to any farmer who desires to have a good return. From my experiences, the use the synthetic fertilizers and other chemicals on the farm affects yields dramatically in return leads to lower margins, poor soil fertility and exponential costs.

Written By: AW

African Tulip Weeds- USEFUL

In Fiji African Tulip grows wild and farmers like me face a mammoth task in trying to control and eradicate this weed species which thrives on dry fertile land. In Navuso where I farm, thousands of dollars have been spent to control the weed and also clearance for shifting cultivation.

My fellow brother and business partner Nod who owns the land where I farm got and idea last year to try and put to good use this weed. So he decided to rip them in 1 inches by 8-10 inches, was then air dried for a few days before it was dipped in loose engine oil for treatment. After this it was then air dried again before we used it for building purpose. The weed is now the floor for our farm houses and we will also be using it for other uses like table top for our nursery,etc.

Before the useful use of African Tulip is was ripped in blocks, piled up and we used tyres to burn them down. The reason for burning is that if any part of it touches the ground it grows again, oh what a hassle.

A report has been published by FAO on this problem here in Fiji and this document can be accessed on this link: http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y5031e/y5031e06.htm .

So to you farmers who are facing this issues with the vigorous growth of African tulip, maybe try to use it for your farm houses or nurseries, well in fact surely wont last that long if compared to treated timber, but the cost analysis for small holder farmers, very cost effective.

Vinaka me vakavurevakasama!! Io E

..

Stop Chemicals-GO organic Fiji

Recently I attended a workshop on an invitation from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community to be in Port Villa, Vanuatu for a week to be trained a trainer in organic farming. So it was the:
Building Capacity of Youth In Organic Agriculture - Train the Trainers Workshop Port Vila 

First and foremost I asked myself why Vanuatu for the training when it could have been done here in Fiji. I got the answer on the first day; Organic farming is widely practiced and taught in Vanuatu. They have a farmer support organisation called the FSA: Farmer Support Association which was established way back in 1913 and they FSA were also facilitators to this workshop. I was amazed at how the organisation operates and the services they provide to their members. The existence of FSA has significantly impacted the farmers of Vanuatu as most of market produce are organic. They provide technical training for farmers and their trainers, provision of farming equipment's, seedlings and feeds at affordable price, as most of these are imported directly from overseas, and this cuts middlemen or hardware shops that are mostly expensive. Great idea minimizing the cost of start-up to eager farmers. 

Vanuatu exports the only organic beef in the Pacific and they have the best beef I have ever tasted. Their beef tastes much better from Fiji and its tender, Wow you should try! Also i tried their chicken, Wow its even better, as the meat are a bit tough and they are tastier than Fiji chickens. I asked around and they said that their Birds are not locked in cages like in Fiji but they are free to move around in ample space, adding to it is the feed that is used to feed them.

A highlight of these training would be the lessons learned from the importance of soil management which contributes allot to yields during harvesting. In Fiji the older generations had better soil management skills which are no longer practiced in rural communities mainly due to the introduction of quick solutions to farming. These are for examples synthetic weedicides,pesticides and fertilizers which harm the environment but also its long term effect on humans. A recent finding on the effect on Glyphosate on Humans can be accessed on this link- http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416http:/  

So in our context here in Fiji, especially Suva where we get most of our vegetables from Chineese and other farmers around the Central Division, I shall pose a question if they do practice organic farming? NO, do they care for your health? NO, do they use chemicals?YES. So why are we consumers neglecting this facts, maybe you don't know, but today you do! Do something, make a change, your health is at risk!! All they want is to make a profit in a business that is unethical to humanity. Sounds interesting as ethics shall be ultimate in Food supply to any Human. To summarize this is unethical trade, double full-stop..

AgroNet Fiji is taking this bold and confident steps towards being organically certified with POETCOM and to be a launching ground of these awareness and training in Fiji with the focus being the Central Division at first. And is working towards the opening of  the vegetables and root crop online retail business to serve the people who are more responsive to the organic movement.

Don't worry Fiji we are here to fight hunger ORGANICALLY!!