Sometimes, a fallback is what sets a person on the right path.
For 53-year-old Williame Mataitoga, a redundancy earlier this year marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Originally from the village of Nawaikama on Gau in Lomaiviti, Mr Mataitoga is the youngest of 12 siblings.
“When I grew up, most of my brothers and sisters were working. Only four of us remained in school,” he said.
“My father was retired, and my mother stayed at home, sewing and doing chores to support us. But most of the help came from our extended family. Everyone pitched in.”
Living in a three-bedroom home with a minimum of ten family members, he said everything was done communally.
The older siblings and extended relatives worked to support the younger ones still in school, which created a strong sense of responsibility and togetherness.
After completing his secondary education at Dudley High School in 1989, he pursued a Diploma in Industrial Laboratory Technology at what is now the Fiji National University (FNU).
He went on to work for the Public Works Department (PWD) and later in various road construction companies, including Higgins, as a senior laboratory technician.
That career came to an end earlier this year when he was made redundant.
“Being made redundant, we have to fallback one step. “But I believe it is a blessing in disguise.”
Mr Mataitoga had already been involved in setting up two family-run farms with his five elder brothers: one at Cuvu in Nadroga, and another in Korovou, Tailevu, named Matrix Farm.
Together, they transitioned into full-time farming, focusing on both livestock and root crops.
The Nadroga farm covers 100 acres and includes 25 head of cattle along with a pair of bullocks for ploughing.
Meanwhile, the Korovou farm is primarily used for planting dalo and cassava. Produce from both farms is currently supplied to AgroMarketing outlets.
“We want to become a supplier not just for a week or two. We want to do it all year round, 52 weeks, providing dalo, cassava, kumala to the market.”
While passionate about farming, Mr Mataitoga acknowledged several ongoing challenges, including a lack of water and electricity supply.
The Korovou farm relies on rainwater, while water for the Nadroga farm is trucked in by the Water Authority of Fiji.
Despite these hurdles, the family has managed to operate without government assistance.
Much of the financial support has come from an elder brother based in the United States, who has played a key role in co-ordinating the setup and encouraging other siblings and younger relatives to participate.
“This is the first time we’ve done something like this on such a scale. Mostly, it was done in a traditional Fijian way before.”
With most of their assisting relatives coming from rural backgrounds, he said farming was not unfamiliar to them. However, formalising and expanding the operation is a new experience.
Now, with a goal to scale up and reach more stable markets, Mr Mataitoga represented Matrix Farms at the Fiji Farmers Economic Summit 2025 to build networks and explore new opportunities.
Married with two children, both of whom are currently USP students, Mr Mataitoga is clear on his message to others facing unemployment.
“My advice, don’t wait. Get started.
“Farming, it has to be your own willpower.
“If you say you can do it, you can do it. Rather than just sit back without a job and wait for government assistance, we have to take the first step.”