Launch of organic agriculture initiatives in Samoa

It’s great to see smaller countries, such as the Pacific Island nation of Samoa, embrace organic agriculture. Today, Samoa’s Prime Minister, the Honourable Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, announced the launch of two Pacific organic projects. The two projects include ‘building capacities on certification of organic agriculture in the Pacific’ as well as ‘developing regional organic standards and strategies for enhancing organic agriculture in Pacific Island countries’. Both projects are to be funded by the UN agency International Fund for Agriculture Developments (IFAD). The first project will be implemented by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) in conjunction with the Women in Business Development Samoa. The second will be implemented by SPC, under its Land Resource Division.

Samoa’s Prime Minister was invited to launch these projects in his capacity as Chairman of the Pacific High Level Organic Steering Committee. His personal commitment and interest in organic farming made him a natural leader for the projects. Other Pacific leaders have been asked to be part of this high-level committee as well as heads of a number of regional and international institutions.

The regional Organic Task Force for the Pacific involves leading individuals in the field of organics mainly from civil societies and government. They are to develop the Pacific’s own standards. University of the South Pacific’s School of Agriculture and Food Technologies have been closely engaged in this process.

After the formal launch of these two projects, CRGA delegates, agriculture representatives and other guests were invited to a special table loaded with Organically Certified Food prepared by Women in Business Development Samoa.