Faleata No. 1 Farms Receive Boost From Agriculture Ministry
Agriculture Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt with dignitaries at the Faleata No. 1 District's First Harvest held on Saturday.
Photo: Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Farmers of Faleata No. 1 District received a boost, tools, seedlings and a monetary gift from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (M.A.F.) during its Talomua or “First Harvest” held on Saturday in Vaimoso.
Pacific Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry who are in Samoa for the Pacific Small Islands Developing States (S.I.D.S.) Solutions Forum joined Agriculture Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt at the First Harvest.
Faleata farmers convened in Vaimoso to showcase a wide variety of fresh produce and merchandise.
Produce ranged from taro, to fresh coconuts, popo, pineapples, green and ripe bananas, giant taro, lime, corn, papayas, house plants, koko Samoa and red hot chili peppers.
Agriculture Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt with dignitaries at the Faleata No. 1 District's First Harvest held on Saturday.
Photo: Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Merchandise ranged from siamu popo (coconut jam) to original women’s clothing, handwoven laufala bags, coconut jewelry, lopa jewelry and throw rugs made by Faleata No. 1 residents.
Fruit salad, fa’ausi, suafa’i and barbecue were some of the food items on sale.
“The event was graced by the presence of some of the Pacific Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry who are here to participate in the upcoming Pacific S.I.D.S. Solutions Forum that will be held in Apia from the 28 – 30 November 2022,” said a statement released by M.A.F. on Monday.
Rev. Amosa Reupena of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S.) in Vaimoso opened the First Harvest with a devotional.
The village mayor, Faleafa Matai’a and Faleata No. 1 District Member of Parliament, Manuleleua Paletasala Tovale, officially welcomed the special guests, government officials and all who joined Faleata No. 1 for the First Harvest.
La’aulialemalietoa, in his keynote address, stressed the importance of these initiatives by the government.
He encouraged the Faleata No. 1 District to continue working their land as it contributes to ensuring food security at the village level. It also provides enough produce for import substitution and export efforts, said La’aulialemalietoa.
Members of the public and special guests had the opportunity to peruse the different displays of agricultural and fisheries produce organised by the district.
Limes that have been high demand since the COVID-19 outbreak, were found in abundance at Faleata No. 1's Talomua on Saturday.
Photo: Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Special guests also had the chance to taste some of the Samoan traditional foods, including fa’ausi and suafa’i.
The village orator Tomaagauaune Faaletonu thanked the Government of Samoa for their ongoing support through this First Harvest initiative and offered gifts as a token of their appreciation.
In support of the First Harvest initiative, M.A.F. presented Faleata No. 1 with agriculture tools, fruit tree seedlings and a monetary contribution.
Produce and items were available for purchase on SkyEye Samoa’s shopping platform The Maua App.
La’aulialemalietoa thanked SkyEye and The Maua App for the service which allowed consumers in Samoa and overseas to purchase items from the First Harvest celebration.
It was the first Talomua to be featured on The Maua App.
Deliveries were also provided through the app.