Nalotawa villagers are being forced to adopt dietary habits of the past because of the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19.
“If we don’t have flour or rice, we have cassava or green bananas for breakfast,” said Kitione Botitu.
The 63-year-old says because money has been hard to come by, the villagers have turned to the land for sustenance because they cannot afford groceries from the store. “We don’t have any other choice.
“For most of us, staying in the village is much safer than going to town, so we are sacrificing some things like eating fl our, rice or sugar. “We can do without it for now.”
Another villager, Ratu Viliame Dolanarogorogoivuda, said plantations have been a saving grace for their families.
“If we didn’t have our land, we wouldn’t be able to take care of our families.”
Village headman Pauliasi Sokia said life in the village has been a struggle, but people were surviving.
“A lot of us can’t earn money at the moment, but we are still able to eat and that is the important thing,” he said.
“What is more important to us is making sure our families and our community is protected and safe from this virus.”
