Reference

https://www.academia.edu/27587356/The_University_of_the_South_pacific_GE202_Agriculture_Food_
and_Nutrient_in_Developing_World_Field_Report_Task_1_Semester_1

https://www.coursehero.com/file/p4gan129/12-Activity-3-AGRI-BUSINESS-IN-LUTU-According-to-data-
collected-from-the/
This report will be based on a two days field trip carried out by GE202 student from The University of the
South Pacific in Laucala, to the province of Naitasiri which is located South East of Viti Levu Island in Fiji.
The trip comprises of four separate activities based on the theme “AGRICULTURE & FOOD PRODUCTION
SYSTEM” that was carried by students during the course of the field school and will be discussed in detail
later in the report. Prior to the trip, brief background information about the sites to be visited was
provided to all attending the trip and as well as the detailed outline of activities to be carried out at
respective locations. The identified sites for the activities are,

 Navuso Agricultural Technical Institute

 Koroilagi Farm (Waibau)

 Lutu Village

Navuso Agricultural Technical Institute is an agricultural institute owned by the Methodist Church of Fiji.
The institution has been established for more than 90 years to date with core aim to groom future
farmers in Fiji as well as the other pacific Island countries. However, there are some transitions during
the lifetime of the institution which will be discussed in detail later in the report.

Koroilagi Farm farm is owned by Mr. Netani Kuila who has travelled from Vanuavatu to Vanua Levu in
1963 with only one responsibility in mind to support his sibling and see them succeed in their education.
By 1969, Mr. Netani Kuila obtained the obtained 15 acres of land along the Waibau road to which he
started the Koroilagi Farm. Koroilagi Farm has become successful that Mr. Kuila came to won several top
farmer of the year awards, received grants from outside and, had become a recognize site for schools
and Institutions in Fiji to visit when doing activities related to agriculture. To date, apart from the
Koroilago Farm we visited Mr. Netani Kuila owned other two farms at different locations, strictly one is
for food crops and the other for animals. However, this report will only focus on the farm profile of the
farm we visited along the Waibau Road in the highlands of Naitasiri. 2

Lutu Village is a typical Fijian village located somewhere towards the centre of Viti Levu Island of Fiji in
the Provine of Naitasiri.The village has an agribusiness initiative called the Lutu Cooperative Investment
Company and has made life very much easier for the people of the place. The Village practice a normal
village style of living like other Fijian villages, however their source of income easy and reliable for their
agricultural products. This is made possible by the Lutu Cooperative Investment Company and will be
discussed in detail later on.

Activity 3: AGRI-BUSINESS IN LUTU

According to data collected from the talanoa session or interview with the members of the
household that host us during the field school at Lutu Village, Lutu Cooperative Investment
Company has started early in the Nineties by Eroni Sauvakadalo. The main aim and object of the
Cooperative Investment Company is to bring money to the village and to provide venue for the
people and farmers at the village to sell their products. Lutu Village is located far from Suva
town therefore the initiative of Lutu Cooperative Investment Company has lessen the burden for
the villagers in terms of transportation and other expenses when bringing their products to main
town Suva for marketing. The agribusiness is beneficial for both the villagers and the company
as well. The company will buy Taro or Cassava from the villagers when they harvest their farms,
stored them in large containers, export them oversea, and earn profit for the company. The
business has become successful because it is own by the Lutu Community and they administer
the management of the company themselves; therefore, they care for the business to keep it
running. Some years back, the company use to offer scholarships for students from the Lutu
community, which is also one of the positive impacts for the villagers.However, the program has
stopped because the Fiji National government has now providing student loan scheme for student
to continue to higher education levels. Some of the major challenges affecting the company as
well as the villagers are, pesticides like the Beetle that can destroy Taro farms and, heavy rain
that might cause flooding that can destroyer the farms. During these period farms are destroyed
which affected their harvest and income, and as well as affecting the company’s exports.
However, these challenges are not very severe for both parties involved because they have
money savings in place to sustain them while they replant and wait for their next harvest. Lutu
Cooperative Investment Company also has two other free hold land where they run diary and
Taro Farm for exports which now their major concern so they do not have any future plans for
the business but concentrate the what they have now running. The company with the villagers
usually have an Annual General Meeting end year, thus, should there be any plans they can
discuss them during the meeting. Lutu Cooperative Investment Company is an excellent
initiative for communities like the Lutu group to engage villagers in farming to earn money and
become successful in life. Such agribusiness activities should set a good example for other
similar communities to adopt, because 13
it will not only benefit the company and the farmers but it will ensure accessibly of agricultural
products to others that lack the product when the Cooperation Company market their products.