From chef to a regional winner in Agricultural sector

Success often begins with a simple decision to follow one's passion. For this humble and hardworking farmer, the journey started in an unexpected place, the kitchen.

Before stepping into agriculture, Asaeli Uluimoala worked as a chef. While the profession provided sta­bility, he always carried the dream of one day building something of his own through farming.

He eventu­ally made the bold decision to leave his job and start small, using what­ever resources he had to begin his farming journey.

"Farming was always in my heart. Even when I was working as a chef, I knew that one day I wanted to build something of my own on the land," Mr Uluimoala said.

Coming from a farming back­ground, but with no formal busi­ness training, he focused mainly on production. Like many small farmers, he worked hard every day but lacked knowledge in record­keeping, budgeting, and long-term planning.

Pacific Agri-lnnovate Competition

Everything began to change when he entered the Pacific Agri ­Innovate Competition 2024.

The competition was funded by the European Union in the Pacific through the Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems in Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Samoa (STODAS) Project and technically sup­ported by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation (FAO).

Joining the competition opened doors he had never imagined.

The competition was led by Business Assistance Fiji (BAF) in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development and the Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways, and Sugar Industry.

Through the 10 days of virtual bootcamp and mentoring support provided, Mr Uluimoala began

to understand the importance of financial management keeping records, tracking costs and profits, managing cash flow, and planning for growth.

"For the first time, I started to see farming as a business, not just as daily work. I learned how to plan, keep records, and make better deci­sions," he said.

He learned how to develop a busi­ness model, set realistic goals, solve problems strategically, and commu­nicate his ideas with confidence.

Exposure to other participants and evaluators at the regional level allowed him to compare his pro­gress, learn new ideas, and think beyond his local environment.

One of the most impactful areas of support came from Business Assistance Fiji's guidance in pre­paring his financials.

He was subsidised with his finan­cials and was also taught compre­hensive bookkeeping, this gave him a clear picture of his business performance.

For the first time, he could clearly see his costs, revenue, and profit margins. This clarity improved his decision-making and gave him confidence when engaging with partners and institutions. "Having proper financial records changed everything for me. I could finally understand where my mon­ey was going and how my farm was really performing," Mr Uluimoala said.

This support proved critical when applying for funding.

Funds to grow

With the assistance of subsidised financials from BAF, he success­fully lodged grant applications to Business Link Pacific (BLP). BLP is a private sector development programme funded by the New Zealand government and delivered by OT-Global. In Fiji, BLP partners with BAF. With his grant applications ap­proved, Mr Uluimoala said the financial injection marked a major turning point in his journey and strengthened his farming operations.

A grant enabled the purchase of a rotovator worth $4000 which has trans­formed land prepara­tion, reducing manual labour and saving valuable time.

"These opportuni­ties helped me grow from a small farmer into someone who can think bigger, plan bet­ter, and prepare for the future," he said.

Beyond the physical improvements, the competition filled

a major gap in his knowledge. It built his confidence and gave him the skills to present his business professionally at both national and regional ro levels.

His journey and pro­gress also expanded his network, eventu­ally opening an op­portunity to work as a consultant with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UnitedNation(FAO), while continuing to manage and grow his farm.

Looking back, participating in the Pacific Agri-Innovate Competition was a life-changing mo­ment. The mentoring, training, and finan­cial support provided through BAF and BLP played a vital role in shaping his success.

Today,Mr Uluimoala, stands as proof that with pas­sion, guidance, and the right opportuni­ties, it is possible to start small and grow into something re­markable.

His story is a re­minder that success is not just about where you begin, but about how willing you are to learn and grow along the way.