Vegetable protective cropping and contractual farming in Samoa
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Agriculture is a critical component of the Samoan economy with more than 97% of households participating in some form of agricultural production, and 19% being reliant on the sector for their key source of income (SBS, 2016). The vast majority of Samoa’s agricultural production is based on horticultural crops grown for subsistence or home consumption, with only around 4.4% of households producing crops for sale (SBS, 2016). The 2009 Samoan Fruit and Vegetable Strategy created much needed focus, leading to several horticultural enterprise development initiatives. Poutasi Gardens is one of the few initiatives that combes production intensification, an emphasis of sustainable production practice, co-operative based community engagement, innovative market development, and sound postharvest handling practice.
In this case study, we discuss the challenges that Poutasi Gardens needed to overcome, the benefits of adopting a more holistic approach to smallholder farming development, and key learnings. Established in 2009, Poutasi Gardens is a community-based farm enterprise that employs intensive and protective cropping production practices to produce leafy vegetables and herbs. The community impact gleaned from Poutasi Gardens is more that just economic benefit.