Planned

Achieved

To increase the production capacity of the government-owned feed mill (Samoa Feed Limited) by the provision of two silos, grain dryers and automatic weighing and mixing equipment.

To establish two market centres at Upolo and Savai'i to facilitate the marketing of goats and pigs.

To provide a clinic and laboratory.

All equipment was provided and installed by the third year of the project, with the exception of one silo, which was imported but never installed.

The two market centres were established and were used a few times for pig auctions. However, they soon closed due to a lack of pigs and of buyers.

A clinic was established on Savai'i. However, the facilities were eventually unused, due to difficulties in attracting veterinary officers because of the lack of staff incentives.

Prior to the project, responsibility for the delivery of livestock and animal health services was with the Livestock Division of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), which was characterized by shortages of technical and field extension staff.

Planned

Achieved

To recruit project management staff drawn from the Livestock Division of DAFF and to provide technical assistance and support.

To provide training to project staff and project farmers.

To provide transport facilities.

A project manager and a project administrator were appointed in 1984, but only four of the seven field assistant posts had been filled by 1987. The project was dogged throughout by recruitment problems, attributed to government recruitment freezes due to budgetary constraints. International volunteers assisted with management and agricultural extension, and an expatriate project advisor was hired for two years and managed effectively to train the project manager who took over from him.

Training was provided to project staff.

Eight vehicles and seven motorcycles were provided. After reformulation, four replacement vehicles were provided for DAFF, one for the rural women's unit and two vehicles and four motorcycles for the Development Bank of Western Samoa (DBWS).

Pigs, poultry and, more recently, cattle constitute an important part of the traditional rural social system. However, at project appraisal, a number of barriers to the development of the livestock subsector were identified, including poor husbandry, the availability of cheap import substitutes, shortages of breeding stock and the inadequate development of cash markets, resulting in farmer reluctance to invest in improvements in productivity.

Planned

Achieved

To construct and renovate multiplication centres to breed pigs and poultry for distribution among smallholder farmers.

To support the establishment by smallholders of 155 pig breeding units (changed to 30 modified units after reformulation) and of 60 poultry breeding units, each with 200-500 pellets (reduced to 50 laying birds per unit after reformulation).

To import and distribute goats for breeding and fattening and establish 108 goat units.

To establish cattle-fattening units, each consisting of six weaner steers. (This activity was initiated only after reformulation.)

To make credit facilities administered by the DBWS available to project farmers for pig and goat units and also for 15 poultry units after reformulation.

The construction and renovation of pig and poultry multiplication centres was achieved.

The project imported improved breeds of pigs (Large White, Durac Cross, Local Cross, Land Cross and Hampshire), but established only 46 breeding units before reformulation. Afterwards, 27 modified pig units were also established. Fifteen poultry units were added to the 24 that had already been created under the Rural Development Project, and three more modified units were set up after reformulation.

The imported goats numbered 372, including feral goats from New Zealand and commercially reared goats from Fiji. By 1987, 60 goat units had been established. However, there was little market for goat meat, and a social stigma was attached to farmers who reared goats.

Thirty-five cattle-fattening units were established. This component was relatively popular, since cattle ownership is regarded as a basis of power and prestige in Samoa. However, its sustainability was threatened by the failure of the Western Samoa Trust Estates Corporation to continue to supply the steers, due to organizational problems.

The DBWS approved a total of 270 loans during the project period. However, 80% of these loans were in arrears by April 1992, largely due to the high transaction costs for small loans and the lack of economic and financial analysis of the investment policy.