58 families from Bavu Village who relied on tourism industry for source of income are now into rice farming

58 families of Bavu Village in Nadroga, most of whom worked in the tourism industry and lost their source of income after they were laid off have now found a way to earn for their families.

They are now part of the Communal Rice Programme called ‘We Rice Up’.

Each of the 58 households received 9kg bag of rice for their home consumption from the rice they had grown in their one-acre piece of land.

The wife of the village headman, Siteri Lewarei says they faced a lot of difficulties during COVID-19 when villagers who worked in the tourism industry lost their source of income after they were laid off.

She says they also relied on their land and returned to full time backyard gardening, however, faced challenges during Tropical Cyclone Yasa and Ana that destroyed the vegetables and root crops they had planted.

Lewarei expressed her gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture for the initiative as well for providing assistance that led to the success of the project.

Bavu Women’s Club President, Timaima Ralolokula says they now have a choice as they can have rice instead of cassava. She says it only took three months to harvest such a huge amount of rice for their home consumption and they also had a market to sell it to.

She says both the men and women of Bavu Village worked side by side throughout the process from planting to drying, and milling it.

Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Mahendra Reddy says the villagers only needed to identify the land, prepare it which the Ministry would assist with as well and provide rice seeds too.