Fiji Flood

Farmers in shock over flood damages.Most farmers in the Sigatoka Valley are still in shock over the devastations caused by the recent floods. Sixty nine year old Permal Naicker of Barara wept as he described his loss. "Everything is gone and nothing is left", he said. "Almost 25 acres of assorted vegetables and pawpaw either swept away or drowned by the raging waters". The water has now receded but his pawpaw plants stood wilting or rotting in the sun. Only bare soil is left where assorted vegetables flourished before the flood. "I do not want to talk about my loss as I get emotional over it". "I do not even want to visit the farm. I let my sons and labourers do that". Such was the effect of the flood on Mr Naicker. He had banked so much on his crop, yet had gathered nothing. Naduri Village adman, Sakiusa Naisaroi said that with the coming school year, they were banking on their crops to fund their children's school needs. "All the crops that we have earmarked to meet our children's school needs have been wiped out and it will be difficult to find money in such a short time", Mr. Naisoroi explained with a catch in his voice. The fertile soil along the riverbank at Naduri is a favourite planting place for the villagers. The raging floodwaters had spared nothing save the banana plants. The devastation along the riverbank had been complete with rotting crops of maize, yams, vegetables and pawpaw as signs of thriving farms. "At this time of the year, we are usually at the market selling our produce and make some money for the new school year. Yet we are here on the farm, clearing the debris to start all over again". Mr Naisaroi said only a few crops above the flood left have been left untouched and that is not enough to even sustain the villagers for any length of time. "We were fortunate when the old Sigatoka Bridge broke up during the flood as floodwaters were backing up into the village. If that had not happened, our village and all crops would have been under water". The "Salad Bowl of Fiji" is known for hard working farmers who toil from dawn to dusk to make a living. Today, most just prefer to sit around the grog bowl as they tried to come to grips with their loss and put everything behind them. The priorities for most is to secure their homes, salvage crops, clear debris from the farm and start planting again. Tian Ruige of Tian's Farm in Barara is confident that his farm will soon be back to its former glory. A head turner to everyone travelling along the Valley Road, the farm is today mud, silt and rotting crops. "Come back in three months and see the difference," said a confident Mr Ruige. "This farm will be as back to its former glory by then". Mr Naicker said the challenge for farmers is to quickly put this ordeal behind them and start rebuilding. "The longer we wait, the difficult it will be to start again.

» View the original video «

YouTube | January 28, 2009

Tags:. .adman. .naicker. .pawpaw. .fiji. .flourished