Lin Xingsheng (1st R), team leader of the China-Fiji Juncao Technology Demonstration Center helps Fijian people build a greenhouse for mushrooms in Naitasiri, Fiji, Sept. 11, 2024. (Photo by Gao Xin/Xinhua)
by Xinhua writer Guo Xinhui
SUVA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- From a farmer to the owner of a Juncao farm and the chairwoman of the Fiji Mushroom Farmers Association, Seruwaia Waiti Kabukabu feels so proud to be able to contribute to her community and female compatriots.
"Due to the use of Juncao technology, I have undergone many changes and fully developed myself. More importantly, I've embraced the concept of sustainable development, which allows us to gain more than just money, but a mindset advancement," said Kabukabu, who shared with Xinhua her story of how she met Juncao and built her career successfully with this China-aid Juncao technical project.
ENCOUNTERING JUNCAO TECHNOLOGY
Before meeting Juncao, Kabukabu was a member of the Naitasiri Women in Dairy Group.
In 2019, she led 12 women to participate in one training course on Juncao technology held by the China-Fiji Juncao Technology Demonstration Center based in Nadi.
"For us, Juncao is a novel technology and an unknown area. We never thought this encounter would provide so many new opportunities for me and the women's group. It has changed the lives and careers of me and other women and made our dreams come true," she said.
After the training, they received mushroom substrate bags for free from the center. Under the guidance of the Chinese experts, they began to harvest and sell mushrooms within 7-10 days, earning money for their family.
"Mushroom farming is simple and easy to learn. But with fast and good results, women are still surprised very much," Kabukabu told Xinhua.
The 48-year-old woman recalled clearly that she earned 2,500 Fijian dollars (around 1,120 U.S. dollars) from the first batch of mushroom substrates and bought appliances, mats, a cooking pot, food, and clothes for her family.
The increasing income also led Kabukabu to pay 1,600 Fijian dollars (around 717 dollars) for a dairy training course, which is mostly dominated by men, she said, "As a woman, I'm proud to be able to pay the fees and graduate successfully."
CONTRIBUTING TO COMMUNITY, WOMEN
At present, Kabukabu is engaged in a community project that she has always been eager to be part of.
Access to clean water has always been a major challenge for her community for the past 20 years. Therefore, she used the mushroom income to purchase pipelines and materials for building a dam. Now the clean water has been connected to the roadside, which is a big step forward for her community.
The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 disrupted the normal work and life of many people, but this did not affect Kabukabu's enthusiasm to grow mushrooms.
Even during the pandemic, to meet the needs of local people, the Juncao center still insisted on delivering mushroom bags to farmers, she told Xinhua.
Kabukabu also mobilized some other women who lost their source of livelihood due to the pandemic to participate in the Juncao project.
At the end of 2023, Kabukabu became the chairwoman of Fiji Mushroom Farmers Association, which brought together mushroom growers across the country, to help fully explore the mushroom market.
She often organizes members to promote Juncao technology to the community of different districts, introducing the nutritional and medicinal value of mushrooms, and calling for a healthy diet.
Now they have many loyal customers, including supermarkets, universities and international organizations in Fiji. The price of the order ranges from 15 to 20 Fijian dollars per kilogram.
PROMOTING JUNCAO TECHNOLOGY
Besides mushroom farming, Kabukabu's women group also plants giant Juncao grass as feed for cows.
Giant Juncao grass grows fast and has a high yield with high crude protein, which will reduce the cost of feed and solve the problem of feed shortage in the dry season, said Lin Xingsheng, team leader of the China-Fiji Juncao Technology Demonstration Center.
In addition, the application of Juncao technology can effectively control riparian landslides and soil erosion, and improve coastal saline-alkali land in Fiji, Lin added.
"The women's group is passionate about and willing to continue applying this Juncao technology because it has many striking features such as low cost, quick returns, high profits, high eco-efficiency, and wide adaptability," Kabukabu said.
The China-Fiji Juncao project has been benefiting Fiji since 2014. The Juncao project has increased local productivity, provided a diverse range of quality food, ensured food security, created job opportunities, empowered women and youth, and brought solutions to climate change and sustainable development to the island countries.
"The group members and I are witnesses and beneficiaries of Juncao technology," Kabukabu said. ■
Seruwaia Waiti Kabukabu (front) and her women's group members grow mushrooms in Naitasiri, Fiji, on Sept. 11, 2024. (Photo by Gao Xin/Xinhua)
Seruwaia Waiti Kabukabu speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Naitasiri, Fiji, on Sept. 11, 2024. (Photo by Gao Xin/Xinhua)
