Apia, Samoa – Samoa Koko Industry Association (SKIA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2022 on Tuesday 8th November 2022 at Tanoa Tusitala Hotel. This year’s AGM covered the chairman’s report and updates for all SKIA events and activities in the last financial year and of course SKIA’s financials for its operations in 2021. SKIA was established in 2018 with the support from Samoa Cocoa Industry Development Initiative and New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade.
SKIA president Alo Kolone Vaai welcomed all SKIA members in last night’s AGM and congratulated them on another successful year for the association. He then proceeded to presented his Chairman’s report that detailed the operations of SKIA for 2022. In his report, Alo informed the members that despite a difficult beginning of the year, SKIA has started to roll out its activities such as its Cocoa Coaching Courses that is always highly requested by members. The President also touched on the projects SKIA was involved in this year which included the Youth Koko Workshops which were funded by the UNDP. These trainings targeted young cocoa farmers and women cocoa farmers and one of the sessions were trained by SKIA president and Vice president Brigitta Lo Tam. Alo also acknowledged the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for its approval of SKIA’s application to the Pacific Islands Rural Advisory Services (PIRAS) where the association was awarded tunnel houses, fermentation boxes and cocoa seedlings. Lastly included in his report, the SKIA president emphasized on the quality and unique taste of Samoan cocoa which was evident at the South Pacific Cocoa of Excellence Awards held in Adelaide Australia. He and former SKIA president Mulitalo Saena Penaia attended this ceremony where they were awarded 1st and 3rd place certificates for the quality of their cocoa beans. Alo says, “these awards are a further recognition of the high reputation and standard that Samoan Cocoa holds compared to other varieties found in the Pacific”.
3 new members were elected to the SKIA EC Council with President Alo Kolone Vaai retaining his role. Former president Mulitalo Saena Penaia was elected in as Vice president for the year 2022-2023. Vui Lance Lameko was elected as one of the Independent Farmers Rep while Samoa Farmers Association was welcomed in as one of the Upolu Farmers Association representatives with Afamasaga Toleafoa as its authorized rep. Alo Kolone Va’ai acknowledges the support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and SCIDI project for the ongoing activities for SKIA. He also shows his gratitude towards all the members that were involved and supported SKIA in all its events and activities in the year 2022. He thanks the members for putting their faith in him to continue on his role as president and welcomes the newly elected executive council, “I want to thank all our members for their continuous support towards all SKIA operations this year we could not have done the work without you. I would also like to welcome in our newly elected council members, I am very looking forward to working with you all on ways to benefit all SKIA members moving forward.”
SKIA’s vision is to revitalize cocoa production in Samoa and to develop a sustainable and wealth creating Samoan cocoa industry, that benefits both smallholders and commercial growers, and the domestic and export value chains that exist around them. We will achieve this by building on the successes Samoa has had to date, by learning from mistakes made, and by guiding Koko Samoa into a realistic and achievable future. SKIA now has a total of 123 members including associations its next step now is looking at joining global cocoa organizations such as the World Cocoa Foundation and the International Cocoa Organization.
The SKIA Elected Committee Members 2022 – 2023
Chairman – Alo Kolone Va’ai
Vice Chair – Mulitalo Saena Penaia
Independent Farmer Representatives – Taupaū Alex Mikaele and Vui Lance Lameko
Upolu Farmers Association Representatives – Samoa Farmers Federated Incorporation & Samoa Farmers Association
Savaii Farmers Association Representatives – Itu Asau Koko & Sosaiete Aufaifaatoaga Salafai
Koko Bean Processors –Wilex Samoa
Auditor – Leota & Niumata’ Chartered Accountants
Back row L-R: Taupau Alex Mikaele(Independent Farmer), Lemauga Hobart Vaai (SKIA Secretariat), Nathan Wilson (Bean Processor),
Front row L-R: Afamasaga Toleafoa (SFA), Vui Lance Lameko(Independent Farmer), Alo Kolone Va’ai (Chairman), Mulitalo Saena Penaia (SFFI & Vice Chairman), Kalameli Ah Mu (Nz High Commission)
-ENDS
