The Kiwa EMPOWER Team was proud to be a part of the Soil Health Improvement Field Day as part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s awareness program in Matalolo Village, Cakaudrove.
The event took place in Matalolo village in the highlands of the Wairiki District in Cakaudrove. The event saw the Ministry of Agriculture’s Land Use Unit and Resource Unit carry out a Farmers Learning Exchange Program. The Units carried out demonstrations on Climate Smart Agriculture as well as composting, bacterium culture preparation and use along with the application of bio-char processing. It also included visits to eggplant, pumpkin, ginger and dalo model farms within the District.
The Land Use Unit demonstrated the importance of using bacterium culture or micro-organisms used to improve soil health, stimulate plant growth and protect crops. The participants were shown how to boost the production of these microorganisms through the use of untreated fresh milk and sugarcane molasses to grow the number of bacterium. They then showed the method preparation in mixing a certain amount of bacterium with water and spray over the prepared farming area. The bacterium is used to enrich soil, boost crop health, and speed up composting as well as serving as an organic alternative to chemical fertilizers.
Those present were also shown the various climate smart agriculture farming techniques used by the farmers in Matalolo including ‘cover cropping’ which prevents soil erosion by covering the ground, protecting it from wind and rain. The second method is ‘mulch cropping’ which is also a sustainable agricultural technique that involves covering the soil surface with organic materials such as compost, leaves and cut grass.
The event was particularly special for Mereoni Aditukana who was awarded the Climate Smart Agriculture Woman Farmer of the Year award at the National Women in Agriculture Symposium 2026.
“As a woman, becoming a farmer was never my dream but it has become more than just farming. Here, it is widely known that farming is for men and for me, the role has been for my husband who has always farmed and brought food for our family. I challenged myself and took up farming. My customers are the villages around me. Last week, I went down to the Labasa market and made $30 from sales, my first harvest was $50 the next $46. I have also been able to meet my obligation to the Church (Sevu) and I am slowly growing. Taking up climate smart agriculture following the training, has allowed me as a woman to gain independence and be self-reliant.”
The work in Matalolo began in 2023 through a partnership with the Land Care Program between Fiji and Australia. Matalolo was a community which was heavily reliant on Yaqona and Dalo Farming. These farming practices involved a lot of encroachment into the upper Labasa catchment with activities such as felling of trees and unsustainable agriculture practices. These practices caused a lot of soil loss, flooding and nutrients loss. Through the initiative, Matalolo households have moved to climate smart agriculture and benefitted both economically and socially, and there has also been a decrease in flooding impacts.
This one day Program in Matalolo allowed the Kiwa EMPOWER team to see first-hand the impact of farmer learning exchanges as well as upskill on their knowledge of climate smart agriculture and strengthen their network with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Resource Unit and within the Ministry.
Climate Smart Agriculture or CSA is an important aspect of the Kiwa EMPOWER Project as we work hand in hand with our selected communities to restore and protect our natural resources. By promoting nature-based solutions, sustainable land management, and inclusive community action — especially empowering women and vulnerable groups — we are strengthening resilience from the ground up.
Kiwa EMPOWER is a regional Project being implemented in Fiji, the Solomon Islands and in Tuvalu.
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