Asaeli Uluimoala struggled to provide for his family after losing his job as a chef at a resort in Pacific Harbour during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, rather than giving up, he turned to farming and established his own business known as Asaeli’s Enterprise located in Raiwaqa, Navua.
With a small piece of land owned by his family, Asaeli began farming fresh fruits and vegetables. What started as a necessity during the pandemic soon blossomed into a full-fledged business.

“I initially started farming just to make ends meet for my family, but soon realized that I was earning more than I did in my previous jobs. That’s when I decided to continue and fully commit to farming,” he said.

Today, Asaeli supplies his fruits and vegetables to resorts and hotels in Pacific Harbour. His farm also specialises in organic products like bio-fertilizer, coconut oil, and other coconut-based skincare items. He has currently employed 12 people to work on his farm.
“This journey wasn’t easy for me, especially coming from a hospitality background. I had to start from the scratch,” he said.

But with persistence and innovation Asaeli not only grew his farm but has expanded his reach to international exporters and has started working on biofuel projects using coconuts.

Asaeli is on a mission to train and involve youths in agriculture, currently assisting youths in his community to engage in farming.
“I believe there’s a high rate of unemployment right now. I would encourage youths to instead of staying home with nothing to do, it’s better to put your land to good use,” he said.

Sharing his experience, Asaeli said “I’ve experienced firsthand how much can be earned from farming, and it has the potential to generate significant returns and positively impact our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). With dedication, anyone can make a substantial livelihood.”
Asaeli was one of three winners of the Pacific Agri-Innovate Competition 2024 – Fiji.

“I am happy to be announced as one of the three winners of the competition. I never imagined reaching this far, especially being up against much larger businesses. But it’s a privilege to showcase what I’ve built,” he said.

Asaeli said that he is impressed with the knowledge he gained about business operations during the two-week boot camp training.

“With whatever I have learned during the booth camp and the two-day event, I will apply it to my business, and I hope to improve my business.

“I am thankful to Business Assistance Fiji (BAF), Fiji and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and European Union for organising this competition and giving the opportunity to farmers like me to participate in such competitions,” he said.

Asaeli will participate in the 2024 Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum next month where, he will have the opportunity to present his businesses and showcase their products. He will also receive their prize money of $1,000 USD at the forum.

This competition was part of the Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems (STODAS) in Fiji, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands, funded by the European Union and implemented by the FAO of the United Nations. The initiative is proudly supported by BAF.

The competition’s primary goal was to strengthen domestic agricultural production and consumption by promoting the transformation of agrifood systems into more resilient and sustainable models.