Vika Vataniyaragi Tadu Varuru, 25, is competing for the Miss Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North title, with a focus on promoting food security in Fiji for sustainable living. Sponsored by Northern Civil Service, she is one of nine contestants participating in this week’s festival at Subrail Park in Labasa.
Originally from Nasinu Village, Navatu, Cakaudrove, and with maternal ties to Yavea, Vanuabalavu, Lau, Varuru works as a dietitian at the Labasa Health Centre. She expressed that her experience in addressing health issues in schools and communities will be enriched by the opportunity to speak to a larger audience during the festival.
Her platform centers around the critical issue of food security, highlighting that many individuals in Fiji, particularly in the North, face challenges related to accessing safe and nutritious food. She pointed to various factors contributing to this crisis, including financial constraints, resource scarcity, fluctuating market prices, climate change impacts on agriculture, and a heavy reliance on imported foods, which often leads people to prioritize quantity over quality.
To combat food insecurity, Varuru advocates for sustainable agricultural practices, starting with home gardening and prioritizing locally produced food. She is also a twin and has a younger brother. Her mother teaches at Wairiki Kindergarten in Labasa, while her father is employed by the Water Authority of Fiji.