Page 33 - IB April 2022

the islands of Savai’i and Manono, but the challenge for the
outer islands was the extra preparation time to cart their produce
across to the designated delivery node in Apia.
WIBDI also saw the success in the programme by opening
the virtual market place doors to other stakeholders in the local
arena.
This included the Poutasi Development Trust (PDT), Samoa
Victims Support Group (SVSG), Savai’i Farmers Association and
Samoan Women in Agriculture (SWAG).
Popular produce that was purchased included, Ofu Limu
(seaweed), smoked fish and chicken, seafood, cooked Samoan
food, chicken soup, vegetable seedlings and honey.
The innovative consumer interface, a brainchild of WIBDI
and in collaboration with Skyeye unravelled the wonders of the
worldwide web in connecting Samoa’s rural farmers with their
urban consumers in a way like never before.
Forty families participated in the two markets that were
held in June and July 2020 generating an income of between
WST$3800 and $4300.
“I thank God for promoting Skyeye, which has the technical
know-how to partner with us in this endeavour.
“It gave us the encouragement to push through this virtual
market for the farmers and rural communities,” added Fuimaono
Rosalia Me, WIBDI’s Protocol and Cultural Specialist.
As the players involved in making it a success will attest to, the
new era of information technology has brought about changes
that they can only build on as the world finds ways of adapting
to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Whatever and however it happens, one thing is for sure
– the virtual market place is the platform for the
future.
This is one of a series of impact stories featured in the Pacific
Farmer Organisations undertaken by members in 9 Pacific
Island Countries under the Farmers’ Organizations for
Africa, Caribbean and Pacific – fo4acp programme – which is
managed by Pacific Farmer Organisations and funded by the
European Union (EU), the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
group of countries and the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD).
Islands Business, April 2022 33