The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on various sectors, and agriculture was no exception.

Small-scale farming and urban agriculture saw a rise in popularity as people sought to be more self-sufficient and reduce their reliance on grocery stores. This period also saw a boom in local food movements, with farmers' markets and direct-to-consumer sales gaining traction as people preferred fresh and locally sourced produce.

Additionally, the pandemic inspired innovation in agricultural practices and technologies, as people explored new ways to grow food efficiently in small spaces, such as vertical farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics. These innovations have had lasting impacts, fostering a more sustainable and resilient approach to food production.

Overall, the lockdowns and restrictions of the pandemic led to a renewed interest in agriculture and self-sufficiency, which has contributed to the growth of small-scale farming and entrepreneurial ventures in the food sector.

Originally from Bulileka in Labasa, Ajanesh Rohit Kamal started his business around the lockdown period where he is now operating in Nakasi and supplying frozen root crops, vacuum-packed fish, and vegetables to various supermarkets.

“The idea was born during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a limited supply of vegetables and root crops in the locked-down Nakasi and Suva areas. I moved to Suva in 2003 with my family as there were some land issues in Labasa. I took the risk of moving my family to Suva and stand on my own two feet for the sake of my children’s future,” he said.

“In my quest to look for work, I landed a job with the Ministry of Agriculture based at the Rice Section in Koronivia and it was during my tenure there that I was able to grasp a lot of knowledge on crop management,” he said.

“I had a vision and worked towards it until I was able to secure this business that I am running today.”

Mr. Kamal resides in Nakasi with his family where the business of supplying crops, vegetables, and fish to supermarkets such as Fresh Choice, Extra, Max Value, CJ’s, New World, and Stop and Shop is operated.

“After starting my own business in 2016 supplying fish to restaurants and supermarkets, I got some money and bought a one-and-a-half-acre farmland at Tawakelevu along the Koronivia road in 2020,” he said.

Farming was always his hobby and the land he purchased was transformed into a farm filled with vegetables, cassava, dalo, avocado, coconut, breadfruit, bush lemon, and kumquat.

Seeing their father’s passion, his two sons Abishay Shahil Singh and Avikash Shahil Singh decided to follow suit and took charge of two different businesses. Amazingly they have ventured into value-adding fries from dalo and cassava and selling them frozen to the supermarkets.

“Fries is a food that people love to eat and with the available resources around us we can also value-add to suit us that is why dalo and cassava are suitable for fries,” he said.

“We are always thinking of ways to assist farmers as I was a farmer growing up and I know the challenges of not making good sales.”

While their father continued supplying frozen fish slices to restaurants and supermarkets, the two boys shared the other responsibilities with the older brother Abishay, running the frozen chips and ice packs business and the younger Avikash, the delivery of vegetables.

“We are grateful to the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways for recognizing our initiative and assisting us with a freezer truck for the transportation of frozen vacuumed packed fish, crops, and chips to restaurants and supermarkets,” he said.

“This assistance is a step up from our car which used to be stock transport but now the load has increased with the daily supply of 300 kilograms to one tonne for cassava chips and 300 to 500 kilograms for dalo chips and 500-700 packets of ice.”

“It is a family business and my whole family assists from the first to the final stage,” he said

The family has a very unique way of assisting communities and farmers in rural areas by setting up a strategy to suit the current situation faced by farmers who are suppliers.

“We buy our dalo and cassava and vegetables from the Northern division, Lomaivuna, Tailevu, and the Western division,” he said.

“With chips, all sizes and varieties of dalo and cassava are used and for our farmers, we collect it from the farm gate. We want farmers to be happy with the money earned through their hard work,” he said.

“When we first started the value-adding business, we would do it manually, all the family members together with our 15 workers using our hands but as we were rolling we managed to buy machines and a processing house for our dalo and cassava chips.”

Lavenia Rawaitagaga and the employee said the introduction of cassava and dalo chips machines increased production and saved time.

“Before we would be producing 30 kilograms per day with manual work and when machines came in we started producing 200 kilograms a day which took only half a day to complete,” she said.

The hard working family was also assisted under the Waste Management Program of the Ministry whereby they received a Biogas generator and organic fertilizer.

“Nothing goes to waste for us, as all the waste from our vegetables and crop business is used in the biogas, and apart from using fertilizer on our farm, we are also supplying organic fertilizer to our farmers who supply to us. We have seen vast improvements in our vegetable farm with this organic fertilizer,” he added.

Mr. Kamal says that hard work is the key.

“I am here today through perseverance, dedication and sacrifice. I advise other Fijians to do the same and to look past those challenges and keep on striving in life.”

“In farming, you can excel and also provide, you can be a farmer, a supplier, a value-adder, a businessman all through agriculture. Just keep developing your passion and manage your farms properly.”

The family recently purchased 13 acres of land in Waibau and plans to start their vegetables, root crops, and yaqona farm.

The hardworking family have set their sights on starting their export business in 2026 and nothing is going to stop them from achieving their goals.

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