Some people believe in persevering to reach their dreams while others believe that it is better to keep dreaming.
For 37-year-old Dharmend Kumar of Naceva Settlement in Sigatoka, he worked hard day in, day out, to reach his dream of becoming his own boss.
Today, the hardworking farmer owns seven hectares of land which is filled with vegetables of all shapes, sizes and colours.
"It feels great to own something and for me, purchasing my own farm was indeed my dream come true," he shared.
Dharmend was a laborer on a neighboring farm for five years.
He worked hard and sacrificed a lot of his personal time to continue working on the farm, because he had a mission.
"It was early mornings for me and even late nights, and every time I worked on the farm, I vowed to myself that I was going to make a better life for me and my family."
"I will never forget my humble beginnings, and I am happy that I am finally the owner of my own farm," he said proudly.
After working as a labourer for five years, he started share farming with other aspiring farmers like himself. It took him another five years before he acquired his own land in 2000.
Dharmend says that it is all about taking chances and making sacrifices to become the successful person that he is today.
With three children to support, the dedicated farmer has grown from strength to strength and also purchased a second farm in 2006.
"This was possible through farming and I am proud to be toiling the land for a living," he smiled proudly.
Dharmend is also the proud employer of six permanent labourers and he also hires casual workers during peak vegetable season.
"There are a lot of opportunities in farming and I decided to fulfil my dream of becoming a farmer because I know of its benefits," he added.
Being brought up in a farming family, Dharmend understands the risks involved in farming, especially when natural disasters strike.
"Huge flooding occurs during the rainy weather and our farm is often hit by flooding. That did not stop me from taking up farming on a full-time basis," he grins.
The clever farmer says that come hail, rain or storm, he will continue with his farming activities.
Dharmend has been a consistent supplier of fresh produce to the local municipal markets, export and hotel markets through middlemen that visit his farm on a weekly basis.
Through sheer determination, Dharmend forged ahead with his farming programmes. Government stepped in to assist him in 2010 under the Sigatoka Valley Development Programme (SVDP).
The SVDP was initiated by the Department of Agriculture. Dharmend was assisted with irrigation facilities to assist him in watering his prized fruits and vegetables.
"I am grateful for the support that was rendered to me by the Department of Agriculture and I believe that it will go a long way in my farming activities," he smiled.
Senior Agricultural Officer (Nadroga/Navosa) Adriano Tabualevu says that Dharmend is living testimony to the saying that dreams can come true when you work hard to reach them.
"The technical officers have been visiting him frequently to gauge how his farming programmes have been coming along and he has been a pleasure to work with," said Mr Tabualevu.
"He listens to our advice and puts them into practice and this is something that we hope farmers around the greater Sigatoka area will also do."
"Renowned as the 'Salad Bowl of Fiji', farmers in the area have really been working hard to ensure that they produce more fruits and vegetables for the markets."
Currently, Dharmend is harvesting his english cabbage, tomatoes and eggplants and will soon be harvesting okra, cauliflower and long bean.
The keen farmer has also been practicing good farm management like daily record keeping for delivery dockets, labour attendance as well as labour wages.
"I am not a well educated man but I have mastered the art of good record keeping and it gives me a better understanding of how to develop my business," smiled Dharmend.
Through income earned, Dharmend has been providing the best for his family and children's educational needs.
"I have also purchased my own three tonne truck to transport my produce to the markets and have also extended my house," he smiled proudly.
The buck does not stop here as Dharmend has more dreams to chase after.
"It's a daily journey that requires dedication, sacrifice and a lot of patience," he added.
But for the moment, Dharmend is still toiling under the rain and enduring the long hours under the hot sun as he forges ahead to make a better living for him and his family.
* Kuini Waqasavou is a communications officer for the Ministry of Primary Industries.