Josefa Sigavolavola 
To support the pilot project, the Ministry of Fisheries provided five bags of specialized aquaculture feed valued at $50.60 per bag. [Photo: FILE]
At 62 years old, Paula Kuli is proving that age is no barrier to learning new skills after successfully completing his first prawn farming cycle.
A yaqona and dalo farmer from Bagaraki in Wailevu, Cakaudrove, Kuli recently ventured into aquaculture for the first time, stocking his pond with 1,200 post-larvae prawns on January 28 this year.
To support the pilot project, the Ministry of Fisheries provided five bags of specialized aquaculture feed valued at $50.60 per bag.
Despite facing major environmental and operational challenges during the first cycle, Kuli managed to harvest five kilograms of prawns, earning a total income of $275 at a market value of $55 per kilogram.
The harvest was sold to Captains Cafe Restaurant.
However, the first cycle also exposed several challenges affecting prawn survival rates.
A prolonged lack of rainfall caused dam water levels to drop, resulting in shallow pond conditions. The intense heat then caused water temperatures to rise, leading to high prawn mortality.
The pond’s location near a village footpath also created problems, with children reportedly lowering the outlet pipe, causing water levels to fall even further.
Despite the setbacks, Kuli is already preparing for a second farming cycle with improvements aimed at increasing production.
Plans are underway to raise the outlet standpipe to three metres to maintain deeper and cooler water conditions, while a secondary standby water source is also being established to safeguard against future dry spells.
The project is also providing valuable insights for aquaculture expansion efforts in Fiji’s Northern Division, as Kuli continues to demonstrate resilience and determination in exploring new farming opportunities.
