Introduction

The performance of the Agricultural sector is a concern according to Samoa’s recent economics updates.

Agriculture’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropped from 12% in 1998 to 8% in 2003, and was averaging at 7% during 2004 to 2007. This declining trend may be attributed to the number of factors.

There is currently more attractive income generating opportunities in other sectors such as tourism, resulting in a much faster growth rate.

The increasing purchasing power of rural households from remittances also relates directly to a reduced dependency on traditional farming earnings. In recent years, there has been a drift of youth to urban centres, resulting in a labour shortage in rural areas. Geographical isolation results in a narrow genetic and production base with limited opportunities to develop economies of the scale in production. In addition, increased regional and global trade and travel have increased the risk of introducing unwanted plant and animal pests, threatening the fragile agriculture and fishery base and ecosystems.

Climate change exacerbates these challenges. Climate associated disasters such as tropical cyclones, floods and droughts impose serious constraints on development to the extent that farmers seem to be in a constant mode of recovery.

A collapse in the valuable taro industry following the introduction of taro leaf blight in the mid 19990s serves to illustrate the vulnerability issue under such threats.

It seems obvious that food availability and people’s accessibility to food are amongst the first to be affected following such disasters.

Whilst that may be the case, agriculture and fisheries continue to play a vital role in regards to food security and alternative sources of income.

The environmental stresses that are already plaguing the farming community need to be managed. As such, the farmers must be more resilient through the adoption of adaptable farming practices.

There must be a balance in the use of natural resources for commercial development, with the need to maintain vital ecosystem services for the agriculture and fisheries sectors. The balance must also be considered between food security and bio-fuel in light of high fossil fuel prices in the international markets.

It is prime time to urgently develop traditional food sources, with the intention to also supplement or substitute for imported food. Import substitution, value adding, improved local and export trade represent avenues to re-capture farming as an income generating opportunity. Hence, farming as a business offers the potential for self employment, to make good use of the available land and human resources. There is abundant unused land, and plenty of workers as reflected in the unemployed level which is currently estimated at 23,000 plus 1500 school leavers every year.

Food security

In response to the rising cost of living, the main priority is on food security. The various national activities that are in place to achieve that objective also capture agriculture and fisheries to provide the opportunity for alternative sources of income. The government has rendered full support and has established a special committee that is responsible to cabinet to focus on the issue.

In 2007, a Talomua programme was initiated to mote the planting of traditional food crops (eg, taro, and banana) including those such as cassava, sweet potatoes, head cabbage and carrots with alternative potentials. The programme aims at self sufficiency in food during disaster times (October – March), with the expectation for the momentum to roll over to the next six months. This should result in maintaining food supply sustainability over a whole year cycle.

It gives rise to an opportunity to promote agriculture as a business by capitalizing on the diversity of products as they relate to income generating opportunities. The new farming based developments in the private sector provide the market incentives for local supplies. On the other hand, import substitution is an alternative strategy which is quite fitting for commodities such as rice, flour, head cabbage and carrot with quantities of imports.

Exports and imports

As reported earlier, there has been a general decline in total value of exports during the last 10 years. The main export commodities were nonu products (fruits and juice), coconut products (eg, milk, oil, drinking coconut, matured coconut, copra meal), cocoa products (beans and paste), fresh breadfruit, fresh papaya, fish and taro.

The coconut industry’s export income ( generated largely from copra oil and coconut cream) fell from 66% of all agricultural exports in 1996 to 14% in 2003. Coconut oil exports fell from 5,800 tonnes in 1997 to 1,672 tonnes in 2003. Two new coconut oil factories have been developed by the private sector.

Export of virgin organic coconut oil is quite promising. The Women in Business Development Institute (WIBI) has been fortunate to land a contract to supply all the virgin coconut oil for “The Body Shop and Earth Oil“ products. The shipment began in November 2007.

According to a report from WIBI, Samoa currently has in excess of 7,000 hectare of farms. This figure is expected to rise significantly to produce a significant quantity of organic products for the Australasian market, seeing that the Australasian organic market is set to expand by 117% between 2006 and 2012.

A small volume of cocoa beans and cocoa paste has also been exported to meet the demand of overseas Samoans.

Fresh breadfruit and papaya are being exported to New Zealand. A larger heat treatment plant for fruit fly control is being requested to cater for increased export volumes. Nonu juice exports have increased from 23,000 litres in 2000 to 440,000 litres in 2003 with an export value of SAT$2.6 million.

This commodity has also entered into the organic line of products.

After a strong growth in 2001 and 2002, the volume and value of fisheries exports significantly dropped to approximately SAT$15 million in 2003. The harvests had fluctuated at relatively low levels over the recent years.

By contrast, the 2003 imports were SAT$1.69 million for processed fruit products, SAT$1.64 million for fresh and frozen potatoes, SAT$2.7 million for fresh and chilled vegetables. The cost of importing meat and other animal products including milk and eggs was SAT$42.6 million.

Issues

There are numerous constraints with varying degrees to the development of the sector. The most pressing issues now are the rising cost of living and the impact of climate change on farming. The global threats from foreign pests and diseases are on the rise, as evident from the wide spread effects of the bird flu and other diseases.

The problematic areas may fall into various categories such as raw materials, product quality and supplies, pathway development, market access and maintenance, pests and diseases, farming skills, compliance levels, technological knowlhow, accessibility of information etc.

Strategy for development

The Strategy for the Development of Samoa (SDS) for 2005-2007 expresses the aspiration for Improved Quality of Life for All Samoans, and it remains the same for the current SDS for 2008-2012. Agriculture development is of the key focal areas for achievement of that vision of government, and it results in the attainment of Samoa’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets and commitment to the FAO World Summit Plan of Action.

In support of the SDS, the Ministry’s focus is “Accelerated Agriculture Growth“  through enhancing agricultural activity, promoting commercial investment, and strengthening the technological base within the Ministry. A corporate Plan for 2005 – 2008 was developed, which provided the following strategies for the last three years.

• Continue to support food security at the village level through improved access to information, good agriculture practices, community –based resource management systems, and project development at the village level initiated through the village mayors.
• Coordinate the development of the agricultural sector plans, market information systems, market pathways, market access and maintenance, value adding opportunities etc., Strong linkages must be strengthened with stakeholders including the Samoa association of Manufactures and Exporters (SAME), Chamber of Commerce, the Agricultural Store Corporation etc.
• Shift the focus of its research and extension activities towards the development of sustainable commercial or semi-commercial agricultural and fisheries production systems in partnership with producers, external agencies, and through the utilization of specific projects such as Future farmers, DSAP etc.
• Deliver high priority, relevant research and provide sound policy analysis and advice to government on sustainable development of the agricultural and Fisheries sectors.
• Continue to improve MAF’s management capabilities.

The Corporate Plan 2005-2008 is currently under review (CP; 2008-2012) and the revised corporate vision is “self sufficiency in food and increased income generating opportunities in farming“. The long term goals are.

• Improved local food security to ensure sufficient supply of traditional healthy food and other food products. 
  • For improved food and nutritional security.
• Improved commercial development to improve trade;
• Through improved insecurity and increased trade.
• Sustainable management and development to ensure long-term sustainability of resources and production systems through
• Integrated and sustainable resource management and development.
• Well established and widely used legislative, policy and technology bases
• Excellent Services