Meet Silivenusi Nakori – originally from Qoma village in Tailevu. He is now a successful full-time farmer and businessman at Savudrodro in Savusavu.

Mr Nakori moved to Vanua Levu after getting married to a local lady Neomai Kuru from Savudrodro Village.

They acquired an agricultural lease for 11.22 hectares of land where he started integrated farming.

“In 2012, I started my business of making bee boxes and I supply it to bee keepers or honey farmers from Natewa, Bagasau, Taveuni, Savusavu, Naweni,” Mr Nakori said.

“With this business, I have achieved a lot in terms of the development for my family, especially my children have been able to go to secondary and primary schools in town.

“I am thankful to Government for their help especially when they heard our cry when we needed assistance.”

Mr Nakori has achieved a lot after receiving assistance from government especially to get where he is now.

“I thank my family for helping me especially my older brother Tekope Toka and one of my cousins who helped a lot with looking after the business,” he said.

“We always help each other with the making of the bee boxes and transporting it to customers.”

With the money he has earned since 2012, Mr Nakori has been able to buy a computer and printer.

“Customers call that they need a quotation so it’s easy for me to print at home and send it to them,” he said.

Programme assistance

In 2012 when the Northern Development Programme began, he approached the office for assistance to help with his business making bee boxes.

“NDP assisted him with an amount of money not the cost of the total project but part of the project cost,” said NDP officer Manasa Vakacere.

“The total cost is around $10,000. We assisted him with almost 60 per cent of the cost and the other 40 per cent he took a loan from the Fiji Development Bank.

“By this time, he had already paid off his loan and his business has already expanded.

“From the income he generated from the honey boxes, he built the two ponds for the prawns and tilapia which is another source of income for him.”

Expansion

Currently, Mr Nakori also has seven double storey bee hives, a broiler shed which houses 100 birds and also plants yaqona and dalo.

A grant of $5614 was awarded to him and together with a loan of $2319.60.

He purchased tools and honey hives materials worth $7484.30.

His workshop houses these machines and he has orders from Navonu and surrounding areas in Savusavu, Naweni, Tunuloa and Wailevu for bee boxes.

“My older brother was a bee keeper so I thought I would make the boxes because of the transportation costs to go right to Rakiraki to buy it.

“In Vanua Levu, there is nobody who continuously makes it so I made it my aim.

“We can make 10 boxes in a day, because in a box, it will need 10 frames to be fitted in so the boxes I make have a double box with a double frame.”

There are only three people working full time in the business.

A bee box full set is sold by Mr Nakori for $315 and the empty bee box is $215.

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