After discovering her passion in business more than seven years ago, Kalesi Narabe resigned from her job as a chef to start her farming business.

The 46-year-old plants cassava, sell by the roadside in Nadi. A heap of cassava is sold for $7 or $8.

She diversified into vegetable farming, making use of the 10.5 acre land she inherited from her family.

Last year, she started a canteen business, and occasionally cooks food to sell by the roadside.

With these businesses, Ms Narabe is proud to be her own boss.

“I am the daughter of a sugarcane farmer; I live with it,” she said.

“Farming is something that has been with me since I was young.”

Like any other business, she incurred large sums of losses when unforeseen circumstances arose.

To secure her business, she signed up for a parametric microinsurance scheme – a product of the Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme, administered by the United Nations Capital Development Fund last year

Ms Narabe believes she has broken the glass ceiling by being a successful female farmer.

“Toiling the land is not easy, but if you do it with passion, stay focused, and determined, you will go a long way,” she said

Story by: josefa.babitu@fijisun.com.fj