Women of Vatulele and neighbouring village Nabuna can now excel in flower arrangements following a floriculture training conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture. 

The 3-day Floriculture Training which was requested by women of Vatulele village during a recent Ministerial visit by the Minister for Agriculture Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy to Koro Island was coordinated by the Farm Management section of the Ministry. 

Participants expressed their gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture for the prompt response in which the training was brought over to the island, which was also a first for the women of Vatulele and Nabuna. 

The oldest participant and Vatulele villager, Mrs Asinate Diuca who is 71-years-old said that this is the first time she had attended a training as such.

“It's likely I am the oldest participant attending this training and I am very lucky to have been alive all this long to witness and learn more about flower arrangement and its basic setup,” she said.

“I have a lot of grandchildren at home, majority of whom are girls, and this training will assist me to impart valuable knowledge to them for their benefit and will also help them to look at flower arrangement as a lucrative business” Mrs Diuca stated.

"Women of Nabuna and Vatulele will surely cherish this moment and opportunity as it will greatly assist them to look at flower arrangements and set up as a means of income-generating avenue for their families," she said.

Training facilitator, Senior Agriculture Officer Farm Management Mrs Naomi Naiqumu encouraged the women of both villages to look at nearby resorts as potential niche markets for this learned art. The ladies were taught about round, linear, triangle wreaths, as well as casket spray arrangements.

"The majority of them have been doing basic flower set up at the village level whereby they have engaged themselves in the beautification of their church and village hall but not with a commercial mindset.

“You are fortunate enough to have resorts that are nearby which can be your market for flower arrangement and if you practice the art daily you will surely reap the benefit and assist enormously for your respective families,” Mrs Naiqumu said.

The youngest participant, Luisa Divuga Mateiwai (22) acknowledged the timely training as it had equipped her with the knowledge to venture into this lucrative business to earn money for her young family.

“As a young mother, I will be able to do basic flower arrangements and assist wherever possible to lift the standard of living at home and also find ways and means of supporting my husband financially,” she said.

The training successfully equipped more than 30 women with basic knowledge on flower arrangements and could be the catalyst for them to venture more into floriculture as a business. 

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