Picture: Mr. Taitusi Sorovatini at his farm.

A change in perspective a decade ago allowed Taitusi Sorovatini to view farming as the best possible avenue of achieving his dreams. 

10 years ago, the now 47-year-old Taitusi of Lovu Village, Gau in Lomaiviti had no immediate plans to improve on his farming practices as he was accustomed to the norm of planting for one's own semi-subsistence purposes. 

To his credit, he later had a change of mind and took his farming exploits seriously as a means to a better life for him and his family; and has since seen him realize his dream to build a house his family would be proud to call their home. 

He planted his Yaqona, and drew up a three-year plan. He has now reaped the rewards of his labour as he pondered on his years as a young man and farmer. 

“I was used to planting and harvesting without a plan, the money obtained from the sale of yaqona was always a waste during my youth,” he said.

“It was after I began thinking of the future of my 6 children that I decided to put aside my selfish ways and focus on improving our lives.

His home began as a small lean-to structure but through the revenue generated from his farm, he built on this humble foundation and set about transforming it into his dream home, constructing a house worth approximately $30,000. 

He credits this achievement to his three-year plan, and with the added blessing from his local Methodist Church Minister, he has never looked back. 

The father of 5 daughters and a son has expanded his family vision and harvested a portion of his other yaqona farm for the purchase of his new 75-horsepower outboard motor and fibreglass boat.

“These are some of the things farming can do when you put your soul and heart into it, you take care of it and it will take care of you,” he said.

“Through farming I was able to buy my building materials for my wooden house from Suva something I never thought I would achieve.”

Apart from the building of his home and its current extension, the outboard motor fiberglass purchasing, this dedicated man of Lovu has also set aside yaqona for the education of his children and has replanted yaqona for the family’s solar-electrical system instalment worth $7,000.

“If there was something that I have learnt over my farming years, it is to have reverence for the Lord and to have wisdom.”

“When you possess this, you will be able to achieve the targets you have set for yourself, and also, through farming, you will be able to provide the same things provided by a white-collar job for your family, maybe even more," he smiled.

-Ends-

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