Martha Taumata Faavae
Supplying vegetables all year round is no longer a worry for some farmers.
Growing vegetables in tunnel houses or green houses is ensuring a supply of vegetables during rainy periods.
This is true for women farmers like Fuatino Moli and Elisapeta Tinifu.
Fuatino has been a farmer for more than 20 years and now grows cabbages and other vegetables in tunnel houses. In the past when there was no shelter over her vegetables she suffered huge losses during the wet season period for these were damaged by the rain.
“ Now with the cabbages and other vegetables growing in tunnel houses I could supply these all year round. The only problem I face now is that I am slow in replanting. This could result in vegetables being short.”
Cabbage Fuatino said is the vegetable mostly in demand by hotels, those selling at the markets and in front of supermarkets.
This same story is also echoed by Elisapeta Tinifu.
She too has overcome the problem of not being able to supply vegetables all year round by the use of tunnel houses.
“ I used to dread rainy days because they cause damage to my veges. The same could be said about extremely hot days. Now with the vegetables growing in the tunnel house I am no longer worried about the rain and the excessive sunlight,” Elisapeta said.
“ Now I could supply vegetables all year round to my customers.”
Elisapeta said that she built her tunnel house from screen wires and mosquito nets no longer used and other materials she bought from the Agriculture Store.
A word of wisdom from Elisapeta is that we must be prepared and adapt to climate change.