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 spent 24 years as a secondary school teacher before taking a position at the Technical College of Fiji (TCF) in 2015. However, when TCF closed in 2020, she was forced to chart a new career path. Inspired by her husband, Indar Deo, 65, a retired police officer and owner of a 13.5-acre sugarcane farm, she decided to enter the agriculture sector.
In 2020, she acquired a 10-acre plot in Wailevu, Labasa, initially starting with rice farming in 2022 before shifting to sugarcane farming last year. To date, she has harvested 90 tonnes of sugarcane for the Fiji Sugar Corporation Labasa Mill this year.
“It wasn’t easy to shift from holding a chalk to a pen and then to a cane knife,” she remarked. “Transitioning from a classroom to farming, while working under the sun and rain, presents its challenges. Moreover, acquiring land and obtaining consent from landowners to renew leases adds another layer of complexity.”
Despite these challenges, Ms. Singh believes that farming has positively impacted her health. “I encourage mothers who have lost their jobs or are facing hardships to hold onto hope. I am fortunate to have a son, an engineer, who supports my farming by purchasing a tractor,” she added.
She learned the intricacies of sugarcane farming from her husband, as part of supporting his retirement plans. “I thank God for blessing me with a supportive husband and son, which has made my journey smoother,” she said.
Looking ahead, she aims to adopt more mechanization in her farming operations. Recently, she was among 58 recipients who received grants from the government at the Sugar Cane Growers Fund office in Labasa to aid in the renewal of land leases.