SALESHNI Devi believes women must strive to challenge the status quo if it restricts them from carrying out tasks traditionally done by men.

Ms Devi, 57, is a sugarcane farmer and small business owner. The mother-of two-resides in Naboutini, Sabeto, in Nadi.

She said her father handed over the family’s farm operations to her.

She has since diversified into intercropping, set-up a community shop and, ventured into making kumala fries and nuggets.

“I was raised on a sugarcane farm and it has been in the family for 37 years. I learned from watching my father struggle and that has framed my mindset.

“My father is 81 years old now, but when we were young, he was cutting cane, and intercropping beans or bora, and on Saturdays he would go to the market to sell vegetables.”

Ms Devi said she would accompany her father on his daily trips to the farm and soon enough, she mastered intercropping and sugarcane farming.

“There were five of us. Me and my sisters followed him to the farm and brought crops to the house on horseback. We would fetch the bullocks and even though we were girls, we did what young boys our age were doing.”

Ms Devi said she temporarily branched out to machinist tailoring to fund her children’s tertiary education.

“That’s how I brought them up. After that, when the garment industry went down, I started a small canteen at home.”

Ms Devi said she soon expanded her business when she created her kumala products.

“I’m creating kumala products like kumala fries. They are good for the health, unlike the potatoes we are importing. Plus, they are a healthier option, and they don’t cause blood sugar to spike.

“I also buy chilies from farmers and make chili sauce, I’m trying to have it on market shelves.”

Ms Devi supplies kumala fries to Cartmex Fiji and the Masala Twist Restaurant in Nadi.

“I hire casual labourers for now because my husband is with the kids, so I need casual workers, but when my business grows, I will use more labourers in the production of these kumala fries.

“At present I’m manually cutting the kumala fries, but I’m looking for a machine to do the job.”

Ms Devi faced a fair share of challenges when she first started her business.

“I’m taking a risk fighting against those challenges, it’s never easy when women have to make our own path to success.

“My advice to women is that we should not step back, we should empower ourselves, we should empower our community.”

Saleshni Devi. Picture: SALOTE QALUBAU.