Agritourism

Over the past five years the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation has been helping regional governments to develop agritourism policies and grow trade.

This has been achieved in Samoa and Fiji by linking hotels with the local farmers associations.

In Vanuatu, the government now primarily sources locally produced food for all its official functions and events.

In Solomon Islands work is beginning on developing food tourism and tapping into niche markets like beauty and wellness products.

Minister for Tourism Sala Fata Pinati says there is a need to make better connections between farmers and tourism business owners.

“We have been planning it for some time now but we have not yet made it work. So this forum is the first act by the Samoan Government to start making these plans reality,” Pinati said at the Agritourism Policy Setting Forum.

Samoa imports about $214 million tala worth of goods, fruits and vegetables annually.

That accounts for 20% of the cost of imported products.