Vika Vataniyaragi Tadu Varuru, 25, is vying for the Miss Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North title with the goal of making a positive impact in her community by promoting food security for a sustainable Fiji.
Supported by Northern Civil Service, the dietician at Labasa Health Centre is one of nine contestants participating in this week’s festival at Subrail Park in Labasa. Originally from Nasinu Village in Cakaudrove, she has maternal ties to Yavea in Vanuabalavu, Lau.
“As a dietitian, I’ve been involved in awareness programs and health talks in schools and communities, but addressing thousands of people on that stage will offer a new challenge for me,” Varuru remarked.
She aims to raise awareness about food security and its importance in improving community welfare. “I chose this topic because a significant number of people in Fiji, particularly in the North, experience food insecurity,” she explained.
She highlighted several contributing factors, including limited access to safe and nutritious food, financial disparities, resource scarcity, market price fluctuations, climate change impacts on agriculture, and a heavy reliance on imported foods, leading many to prioritize quantity over quality.
“To achieve food security, we must embrace sustainable agriculture, beginning at home with backyard gardens and making a commitment to consume locally produced food,” she added.
Varuru has a twin sister and a younger brother; her mother works as a teacher at Wairiki Kindergarten in Labasa, while her father is employed by the Water Authority of Fiji.