MAF LEADS DRIVE TO ENSURE SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY
By: Asenati Taugasolo Semu
Government is taking the pro-active approach to ensure food security is sustainable should the COVID-19 escalates in Samoa.
To that effect, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, (MAF) is assigned by Government as the leading agency.
To execute the policy, Government has also allocated $3.5 million tala for the sector with the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa, (SROS) receiving $2.5 million to start commercialisation of food products from local produce with the balance of $1 million to MAF.
Strengthening agricultural and fishing developments to support food security is one of the top intentions of Government.
“The $1 million have been divided by the Ministry so that we can easily and quickly distribute them to the farmers and fishers in three to six months’ time,” the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries CEO, Tilafono David Hunter told the Savali News.
He added that $20,000 is allocated for security especially with the provision of essential services and staff working at quarantine boarders, and also workers who assist with the clearance of fishing vessels.
$6,000 is allocated for promotional and awareness programmes;
$125,000 will be used to buy Veterinary medicine, to prevent the health of animals to make sure we have adequate supply of food, in case the pandemic prolongs and might prevent the arrival of meat. Tilafono said.
MAF is also making sure that our livestock farms increase to supply food for our people in the event when there are no more supplies from overseas due to the lockdown of many countries because of the COVIT 19. But Tilafono said we also depend on the sea for our source of food.
The remaining $820,000 of the total amount will fund the purchase of seeds for fruits, vegetables and crop plants to be distributed to farmers and the public.
The Ministry is targeting the types of seeds that can yield in three or four months time.
Tilafono said the seeds will be distributed to registered farmers and to anyone who has a small farm, also targeting families living in small areas of lands around the town areas.
Tilafono said the Ministry will buy seeds from our local commercial farmers to be distributed under this assistance. “The most important thing is that the Ministry is buying seeds locally for this programme to support our commercial farmers.”
Tilafono said the Ministry of Finance opened the Finance system to access the money on Monday this week and the Ministry of Agriculture are now procuring the seeds for distribution.
