Sadha Lata Singh, 58, has no regrets about her transition from being a secondary school teacher and lecturer to becoming a sugarcane farmer. Ms. Singh taught for 24 years before taking a position at the Technical College of Fiji (TCF) in 2015. However, she was faced with a career shift when TCF closed its doors in 2020.
While at home, she found inspiration in her husband, Indar Deo, 65, who owns a 13.5-acre sugarcane farm and is a retired police officer. In 2020, she purchased a 10-acre plot in Wailevu, Labasa, where she initially began rice farming in 2022, but later pivoted to sugarcane farming last year.
So far this year, she has successfully harvested 90 tonnes of sugarcane for the Fiji Sugar Corporation Labasa Mill. “It wasn’t easy to move hands from holding a chalk to a pen and then a cane knife,” she remarked, acknowledging the challenges that come with farming.
“Transitioning from a classroom to a farm and working in the sun and rain is tough. Additionally, acquiring land and obtaining consent from landowners for lease renewals can be difficult,” she added. Despite those challenges, Ms. Singh finds that her work on the farm keeps her healthy.
She encourages mothers who are unemployed or facing hardships to remain hopeful. “I am grateful to have a son who is an engineer and supports my business by purchasing a tractor.” She learned about sugarcane farming from her husband as part of supporting his retirement plan.
“I thank God for blessing me with a supportive husband and son, which has eased my journey,” she expressed. Looking ahead, she plans to invest in mechanization for her farming operations.
Recently, she was among 58 recipients who received grants from the government at the Sugar Cane Growers Fund office in Labasa, aimed at aiding in the renewal of land leases.