ASO FARAILE 06 SETEMA 2024, SROS NAFANUA.
Susu Lau susuga i le Ta’ita’i o le Sauniga
Lau Afioga I le Minisita Lagolago,
Lau Afioga Maiava Fuimaono Tito Asafo,
Afifio a Tatou Pa’aga mo le Atina’e o Samoa
Aemaise le paia ma le mamalu o Samoa ua aofia potopoto e molimauina le faamoemoe I le aso.
O lea ua ma’ea ona te’a sa ma faigā, aua lo tatou va tapuia ma lo tatou Atua. O le mata’isau o le foafoaga, o le Silisili ese e mai lava i le vavau se’ia o’o i le fa’avavau. E pei ona molia ai e lana auauna i lenei taeao.
Ae ou te fa’atulou i lenei taeao i le malu taue’e ua sasao ma aofia potopoto mai, i o outou tofē ma itu taulagi, o itu fa’aleaganu’u ma pa’ia-fa’alemalo. O pai’a aua Tama ma o latou Aiga, Aiga ma a latou Tama, Pule ma Tumua, Itu’au ma le Alataua, Aiga i le tai ma le Va’a-o-fonoti.
O pa’ia sausau gata o Samoa e le taitai ona popo pe a’o fo’i i se fa’amatalaga. Aua o pa’ia e tumau e leai se tautai e fia fagota sagolegole i ai. Ae o le a lu’ulu’u atu ia i tulatoa ma le au fueloloa o le atunu’u aua o le latou galuega tausi ma le faivaalofilima lea.
Ae ua tatou potopoto mai, ona o le fa’amoemoe sa lupe, e pei o le fa’atalau’ula atu o le tatou Fa’alapotopotoga o Su’esu’ega Fa’asaienisi a Samoa (SROS). Ua lagona ai le agaga fa’agae’etia, ua me’eme’e fo’i ma osaosa le agaga ma le loto, aua ua tatou potopoto e tatala aloa’ia le Ofisa Autu e Fa’afofoaina ma Fa’amautuina ai ni Pisinisi tau-Fa’atoaga a Samoa (Samoa Agri Business Incubation Centre) fa’atasi ai ma le Tauvaga o Fuafuaga Fa’apisinisi o ni oloa fou e fa’apogai mai i Fa’atoaga a le Pasefika (Pacific Agri-Innovate Business Plan Competition).
O lenei Ofisa Autu o le a Fa’afofoaina ma Fa’amautuina ai ni pisinisi tau-Fa’atoaga (Agribusiness Incubator Centre), o se tasi o vaega autu o le poloketi ua ta’ua fa’apu’upu’uina o le STODAS, po’o le “Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems”. O lenei poloketi o lo’o fa’atupeina e le Iuni a Europa (European Union), ma o lo’o galulue so’oso’otau’au ai le SROS, le Matagaluega o Fa’atoaga ma Faiga Faiva, FAO ma le BAF (Business Assistance Fiji). O se poloketi o le a tele se aoga mo le lumanai manuia o Samoa, mai ni oloa gaosi tau-Fa’atoaga e fa’aoga ai ni metotia fou, o le tomai fa’aona po nei ma le fa’aogaina o le tekonolosi fou. O le a fesoasoani fo’i i le fa’amautuina o mea taumafa aua le fofoga taumafa a le atunu’u (Food Security) ma le tamaoaiga e maua mai e ala i fefa’atauaina atu i fafo o oloa tau-Fa’atoaga (Agricultural Exports).
O lo’o fa’alauiloa fo’i i le asō, le tatala aloa’ia ai, o le Tauvaga o Fuafuaga Fa’apisinisi o ni oloa e gaosia mai i puna’oa o fa’atoaga a le Pasefika po’o le “Pacific Agri-Innovate Business Plan Competition”. O le i ai o se fuafuaga fa’apisinisi o se oloa (Business Plan), e taua tele mo le sologa manuia o se pisinisi. O lenei la tauvaga e aoga tele e fesoasoani ma fa’amalosia ai o tagata faipisinisi ina ia tapena ma silasila toto’a i ni fuafuaga lelei e manuia ai a tatou pisinisi. E maualuga i le manatu ma le lagona o le a toatele nisi o le a auai i lenei tauvaga aua e aoga tele e maua ai le tomai ma ni metotia fou aua lava le ola ma le manuia o pisinisi.
O le fa’amoemoe la i le asō, e pei ona tatou molimauina, le tatala aloaina ai o le Ofisa Autu mo le Fa’afoafoaina ma le Fa’amautuina o pisinisi tau-Fa’atoaga (Agribusiness Incubation Centre), fa’apea ai ma le Tauvaga o Fuafuaga Fa’apisinisi o ni oloa e gaosia mai i puna’oa o fa’atoaga a le Pasefika (Pacific Agri-Innovate Business Plan Competition), e famanatu ai se matatia taua ua ausia aua lava lo tatou naunautaiga ina ia tumati’e ma fa’aauau pea le lumanai manuia o Samoa e ala mai i Fa’atoaga. O lenei Ofisa Autu o le a lagolago e tapu’e ma fa’afailele le tomai fou, koleni ma fesoasoani i ni miti fou ina ia taunu’u ma le manuia e fa’apogai i le tofa fetala’i a le au faipisinisi po’o le aufaifa’atoaga fo’i.
E fia fa’ailo le agaga fa’afetai i pa’aga uma, o e uma na fesoasoani ina ia taunu’u lenei fa’amoemoe. O le galulue so’oso’o tau’au ai o le SROS, MAF, FAO ma le BAF, fa’apea ai le fesoasoani mai a le EU o se molimau moni lea o le aoga ma le taua o faigapa’aga, ua mafua ai lenei fa’amoemoe e le ititi lona aoga. Ma o le tatalo, ia fa’aauau pea ia nei faigapa’aga i le lumana’i ina ia faaleleia atili ai tatou atina’e faatoaga ma oloa e gaosi mai i fua o faaeleeleaga, aua se manuia o tatou tagata.
Ma ou te fa’amalosia’u atu ai i ai tatou uma ua aofia mai e molimauina lenei fa’amoemoe i le asō, ina ia matua sailiili i ni metotia fou ma ia fa’asoa le toma’i. Aua ne’i tu’ua lenei avanoa e alu, ae ia fa’aoga tatau aua le fa’aleleia o le atina’eina o si o tatou o Samoa e ala i oloagaosi e afua mai i fa’atoaga.
Tatou matua galulue fa’atasi, aua se lumanai manuia o Samoa e ala mai i fa’atoaga ma ona oloa gaosi, mo nei ma a taeao.
Ona fa’ata’i lea o se fa’amatalaga, ia fa’amanuia tele le Atua i taualumaga o lenei aso. Le mamalu o Samoa ua potopoto fa’apea fo’i a tatou pa’aga ua tatou fa’atasi, ia i ai pea fa’amanuiaga ma le filemu o le Atua ia i tatou uma.
Soifua ma ia manuia.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Hon Laauli Leuatea Polataivao Speech for the Official Opening of the Samoa Agribusiness Incubation Centre (ABI), Friday 06 September 2024 @ 10.00 a.m.
SROS Headquarter, Nafanua.
Rev. Letupu Faauuga Matautia,
Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament,
Members of the Diplomatic Corp,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
It is with great pleasure, that we are here today, to officially open, the Samoa Agribusiness Incubation Centre (ABI), which is a key part of the, Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems project, or STODAS project, in Samoa. Today, we also have the honor of launching, the Pacific Agri-Innovative Business Plan Competition.
The STODAS project, funded by the European Union (EU), and implemented in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Business Assistance Fiji (BAF), and the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS), represents a major investment, in the future of Samoa’s agriculture. We rely on agriculture for our food security and nutrition, but our food security is also highly reliant on imported food. This means that, there is room for improvement for us to be food secured. The STODAS project is set to transform our domestic agrifood systems, by promoting innovation, business, and sustainable practices across our agriculture sector.
The Pacific Agri-Innovate Business Plan Competition, is a key initiative of the STODAS project. It is designed to empower young business people and farmers, to develop innovative solutions, to the challenges facing our agriculturel sector. Through this competition, FAO and SROS aim to identify, guide, and support agricultural enterprises, with high potential to expand market opportunities, and strengthen Samoa’s agrifood ecosystems. I am confident that this competition, with its robust mentoring and training programs, will inspire new ideas, and develop a vibrant and dynamic agricultural ecosystem in Samoa.
The ABI Centre will serve as a dedicated space for innovation, training, and collaboration, offering a wide range of services that our aspiring business people need to succeed. These include technical assistance and training, in various areas of research and agriculture. By helping research and innovation, the Centre introduces new technologies, and practices that boost productivity, and sustainability in the agricultural sector.
The opening of the Samoa ABI Centre, and the launch of the Pacific Agri-Innovate Business Plan Competition, marks a significant milestone in our journey, towards a more successful, and sustainable agriculture sector.
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all our partners, who have made this important project become a reality. The collaboration between SROS, FAO, BAF, and EU, is proof of the importance of partnership, and I look forward to future partnerships of this nature, to help Samoa improve its agriculture sector.
To all the business people, innovators, and farmers present today, I offer my heartfelt encouragement and support. The future of Samoa’s agriculture, lies in your hands. Embrace this opportunity, leverage the resources available at the ABI Centre, and let your creativity and innovation lead the way.
Together, let us work towards creating a successful agriculture sector, that not only sustains Samoa through improved food security and nutrition, but also empowers our communities, encourages our people, and build a brighter future for generations to come.
Thank you for your attention.
Soifua ma ia manuia.
Ata Pueina – Malo o Samoa (Taunuuga Toatasi)
