FOR MOAPE BATIGAI, SUCCESS DOES NOT COME OVERNIGHT

For 17 years, he operated a BBQ stall in the heart of Nausori Town, working long hours to support his family while holding onto a bigger dream — to farm his own land and build something sustainable for future generations.

That turning point came when Mr. Moape Batigai was finally able to secure an Agricultural Lease from his own mataqali land at Sawani Village, allowing him to properly develop his land and formally access support under the Taukei Development Fund Facility (TDFF) from the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB).

Now farming on 4.6262 hectares of mataqali land along Koroi Road in Sawani, Mr. Batigai has transformed opportunity into measurable success.

With assistance from the TLTB, he was able to:

– Extend his family home, adding approximately $10,000 in value and contributing to a dwelling now valued at $40,000

– Expand cultivation of dalo, cassava, ginger, vegetables, and fruit-bearing trees, with current crops valued at over $5,000

– Strengthen pig farming operations

– Diversify into cattle grazing

– Invest in the future by planting 50 coconut trees to support long-term income and sustainability

Today, his farm produce is sold on a wholesale and retail basis at the Suva Municipal Market, popular eateries and along the Sawani main road, generating stable income. With his harvest, he was also able to pay for his children’s education and also support his community financially by employing young men from his village to tend the farm.

Mr. Batigai’s message to all iTaukei Landowning Units (LOUs):

“We must move away from the old mindset of fearing that we will lose our land if we lease it to our own people. Leasing opens pathways to success for all LOUs. It allows support and assistance to help maximise the yield and prosperity of our land.”

From a roadside BBQ stall to a thriving agricultural enterprise, Mr. Batigai’s journey is proof that secure land access, combined with hard work and proper support, can transform lives.