I am originally from the village of Lomati, Nabukelevu on the island of Kadavu south of Viti Levu with maternal links to the village of Vuna on the island of Taveuni, the Garden Island of Fiji. My previous research work includes the development of a new food product from breadfruit, ‘Marmalade’. This product was the research output for a core unit during undergraduate studies and was made possible through colleagues Losan Madar, Annarosa Latulipe and Adarshan Kumar under the supervision of Prof. Lutgarda S. Palomar. I joined the USP Sports Research Team as a research assistant for the University of the South Pacific’s research project to assess the ‘Socio-economic impacts of Samoa 2019 Pacific Games’.

My current research assesses the diffusion and adoption ofprotected cropping systems by small and medium scale vegetable farmers in Sigatoka, Fiji. This research is vital in determining influential factors of the innovation that resulted in its adoption while ascertaining the efficacy, quality and viability concerning its personal impacts towards the select group of vegetable farmers.

• Diffusion of Innovations Theory
• Greenhouse
• Horticulture
• Agricultural Extension
• Rural Sociology in Agriculture
• Agricultural Development
• Rural Development

Masters of Science in Agriculture
Project Title: Assessing Diffusion & Adoption of Protected Cropping Systems by small and medium scale vegetable farmers in Sigatoka, Fiji.

ACIAR Project - HORT/2014/080
Integrating protected cropping systems into high value vegetable value chains in the Pacific and Australia.

Supervisor: Dr Sonny Lameta, University of the South Pacific
Co-supervisor: Prof Phil Brown, Central Queensland University

Click here for more information (available on the ACIAR website).

Twitter: @Rraprotoj
ORCiD: 0000-0001-6874-4717