In 2012 Samuela Mocevakaca decided to quit his mechanical job to work on the farm Since that day he has toiled their leased land in Waibau, Naitasiri and Mr Mocevakaca has been an asset to his family.
His return to the farm was for one reason and that is to setup a mechanical engineering business through what he earned from farming.
“Farm is good. You earn a lot and you are also your own boss,” he said.
Born and bred in Naitasiri, the Matokana, Ono-i-Lau native said since he was the second eldest in the family of four he also decided to help his elderly dad look after his farm.
To utilise the knowledge he acquired at tertiary institutions he enrolled at, he said he helped people around the farming community in repairing their generators, chainsaws and at times their cars.
Mr Mocevakaca attended Sawani Primary School and completed high school at Nakasi High School.
He said his dad, a farmer, raised them through hard work and was indebted to his parents for the sacrifices they made.
He said he would stay close to his parents as a show of gratitude.
“I have no choice, but to be at the farm,” the 34-year-old said.
“There are four of us, three boys and we have a sister. Since I am the second eldest I realise that I have a huge responsibility in looking after my family.”
Mr Mocevakaca attended the Fiji Institute of Technology now Fiji National University. He said as long as he graduated with the knowledge of how to repair motor parts farming was a saving component for him so that he could buy his tools.
“I now how to repair mechanical problems and my main focus is to run my own business, but first I need to buy some tools.
“I am saving some money and slowly buying them.
“I have set my goals and working towards them.”
Mr Mocevakaca said his ancestors left their island village with a mission to give those after them better education.
“My dad was a two-year-old when they start their new home here in Waibau.
“I am the fifth generation and I want to be different from them.
“Through farming alone I can be able to climb the ranks and own a licensed mechanical engineering business.
“It will be a great opportunity for me because I know success comes after hardwork.
“I am planning on starting the project when the COVID-19 lockdown is open because I can be able to travel to Suva and buy my tools.”
Mr Mocevakaca plants dalo and cassava at his farm.
“I was lucky enough to have a fixed customer who buys my farm produce also at a fixed price.
“For a bag of cassava I get $60. In a day I have to ready three bags for delivery.
“The savings part for me is my client who picks the produce right here at the farm. I don’t have to pay a single cent for it.”
Mr Mocevakaca said he learned a big lesson during his six months doing what he loved the most.
“When you grab an opportunity make sure you cling on to it because it’s hard to find something like that. All I did was planting and out in the blue someone just showed up and gave me the opportunity to buy from me.”
