Title: Capacity building in organic farming and processing of organically certified and Fair Trade labelled agricultural produce for local and export niche markets (TCP/SAM/3203 (D))
Objectives: The project aims to build the capacity of the Non-governmental Organization (NGO) Women in Business Development Inc. to be able to further support the development of the growing organic industry in Samoa, and to further facilitate the training and nurturing of organic farmers and processors in Samoa, to gain organic and fair trade certification to international standards, while enabling an environment where these farmers can export their products to the available niche markets. It will build on the existing programme which offers small rural farmers the opportunities to grow appropriate crops for export and to set up a facility to further prepare and add value to the products prior to being exported, primarily to an organic company in New Zealand and in the long term to other niche export markets.
The project will improve the capacities of these small rural farmers, involve them in marketing their products to niche markets overseas, and in the process, ensuring the increase of agricultural exports from Samoa, as well as producing organic produce for the local markets.
• Increased exports of organic products from Samoa;
• increased sustainable income for small rural farmers, as well as nutritional crops for local consumption;
• facilities in place to further add value to produce in preparation for export to niche markets;
• the Fair Trade labelling process in place and operating in combination with the Organic Certification process;
• Women in Business Development Inc. established as the lead organization in the promotion of Organic and Fair Trade practices in Samoa.
