FAO is investing over US$350,000 into a two year technical assistance project to improve agriculture sector information and statistics for Samoa. Working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) and the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS), the project will assist in the development of sustainable capacity for the analysis of agriculture sector trends.

"By building the capacity of MAF and SBS in this area, it can inform and improve evidence-based policy planning and formulation by the Government of Samoa, development partners and donors and all the stakeholders in the Samoan agriculture sector," said Mr. Tim Martyn, FAO SAP Policy Officer.

"Collaboration between MAF and SBS, as well as between FAO and WHO, will help strengthen relationships important for collecting and adding value to pertinent agriculture sector information, such as production and consumption trends important to better understanding food security in Samoa," he said.

The overall impact of the project is to strengthen policy, legal, regulatory and strategic planning framework for the achievement of self-reliance in food and nutritional security in Samoa.
In addition to production statistics, the project will identify post-harvest loss and food risk needs in fresh eating product chains; identify the household characteristics of poor nutrition outcomes in Samoa; and build the capacity of MAF to provide stakeholders with detailed analysis of priority agriculture sector policy issues through a regular State of Agriculture and Fisheries in Samoa publication.

The project will contribute to achieving Outcome 1.2 of the Samoan Agriculture Sector Plan 2011-15: the provision of reliable and timely availability of key agricultural statistics for planning and monitoring of sector performance; and Outcome 1.4: enhanced policy, planning and monitoring capacity of MAF including delivery of market oriented extension service.