Women Can Do Anything!

“All your dreams and aspirations can be achieved if you are faithful and diligent in what you do.”

These are sentiments shared by the strong willed Mrs. Katarina Baleisuva who is the Director of Kay Bees Farm.

Mrs. Baleisuva has successfully set up a Tilapia Hatchery in Sauniwaqa, Nakasi which now supplies tilapia fingerlings to individuals that wish to venture into Tilapia Farming.

She also supplies fingerlings to Ministry of Agriculture’s Nadurulolou Research Station.

Being raised in a farm, she had aspirations to own a commercial farm of her own.

With the support of her husband and family, she started Kay Bees Farm with three fish ponds after which she sought the assistance of Government through the Ministry of Fisheries to assist her with the fourth pond.

All the ponds are 50m x 20m each in dimension thus having a capacity to hold 5,000 tilapia fingerlings at any given time.

From tilapia (fish) farming Ms. Baleisuva has diversified into integrated farming with the assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Her farm now also consists of short term crops comprising of assorted fruits and vegetables, dalo and cassava.

Ms. Baleisuva handling administrative matters in her farm at Sauniwaqa, Nakasi.

She has also branched to beekeeping and vanilla farming experimenting with a greenhouse which houses Vanilla vines, in her efforts to determine which will give higher yield considering that the market for vanilla is now beginning to be established in Fiji.

Through her perseverance and sacrifice, she is able to support her family more importantly financially support their son who wished to pursue his dream in becoming a pilot.

“Through my tilapia farm I was able support my son’s dream of becoming a pilot. I paid for his tuition fees with Pacific Flying School and I am proud to say that he today he is a commercial pilot flying with Fiji Airways.”

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