A women's group in Fiji's Ra Province has turned agricultural training into a nursery business after becoming an approved supplier of vegetable and fruit seedlings to the Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry.
The Marama ni Navutalakise Cluster from Navolau No. 1 Village completed Sustainable Land Management and Farm Management training delivered by the ministry.
The group, which is part of the Yavusa Burenitu, will supply seedlings to the ministry in Ra Province while generating income for its members.
Cluster President Alena Beraua said the training had strengthened the group's farming and nursery management skills.
"This training has empowered us with the skills to produce quality seedlings and manage our nursery more effectively," Ms Beraua said.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to become a recognised supplier to the Ministry, and we are committed to maintaining the quality standards expected of us."
The training covered nursery management, seedling production and sustainable farming practices.
Members worked with ministry officials to establish the nursery after the cluster was recognised as an approved vendor.
The facility will allow the group to increase production, meet ministry standards and maintain a consistent supply of healthy vegetable and fruit seedlings.
Approved vendor status also provides the women with a reliable market while improving farmers' access to planting materials across the province.
The nursery is expected to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the group's operations and create further economic opportunities for members.
Ms Beraua said the nursery had encouraged the women to expand their operations and pursue new opportunities in agriculture.
"Our vision is to grow this nursery into a reliable source of quality planting materials while creating more economic opportunities for the women in our cluster," she said.
"We hope our success will inspire other women's groups to embrace agriculture as a pathway to sustainable livelihoods."
The cluster plans to build the nursery into an enterprise supporting its members, their families and farming communities throughout Ra Province.
Producing both vegetable and fruit seedlings will allow the group to respond to a broader range of orders and provide farmers with more planting options.
The supply arrangement also requires the women to maintain production standards and meet demand from the ministry.
Ministry support continued beyond the initial course, with officials helping the group establish a facility where members could apply their training in a commercial setting.
The nursery contributes to wider efforts to improve access to quality planting materials and support agricultural production across Ra Province.
The Marama ni Navutalakise Cluster will now focus on maintaining quality, meeting growing demand and building the nursery into a lasting business.
