A Kadavu farmer’s decision to switch from using chemical fertiliser to organic fertiliser has enabled him to be successful in life.
54-year-old Taniela Kama says the last time he used chemical fertilisers was back in 2012 and stopped using it as it harmed the soil.
Kama says since then, he is using chicken and goat manure mixed with food waste from a compost pit on his produce including the yasi and yaqona plants.
The Tavuki villager has been farming for the last 10 years and was assisted by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2011 with a shed, 300 layer birds, and chicken feed to kick start his poultry business, valued at $26,000.
He says he had researched on starting a poultry business and came to the conclusion that it would be a brilliant idea as the waste from the layer birds could be used as manure for his produce.
Today, Kama is also selling his self-produced organic manure to other farmers on the island and has received positive feedback.
His livestock includes 513 chickens, 55 goats and 13 ducks.
He already has 6,000 yaqona plants in the ground and expects to harvest it in the first quarter of next year.
He supplies 150 eggs weekly to a supermarket in Kadavu.
Kama highlighted that he is now focused on trying to meet the high demand for eggs in Kadavu and will be re-investing in his poultry business when he harvests his yaqona next year.
Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy who visited a few agriculture projects in Kadavu says that Kama is a classic example of an ideal farmer who practices safe farm management.
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