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ProjectStrengthening Capacity of Youth for Employment and Livelihood in Agriculture - TCP/SAM/3603 2020
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No results found.Approximately 80 percent of the population of Samoa resides in rural areas, yet the contribution of the agriculture sector to the national gross domestic product (GDP) is relatively low. While agriculture accounted for around 50 percent of the GDP in 1980, this contribution decreased to less than 10 percent by 2013. In contrast, remittances accounted for 18.2 percent of the GDP in 2011. The 2009 Agriculture Census found that 15 786 of the 23 164 households surveyed were agriculturally active. However, only half of these agriculturally active households derived some income from their produce, with the remainder of households producing purely for the purpose of consumption. In addition, an estimated 37 300 ha was being used for agriculture at the time of the census, representing 57 percent of the total agricultural land. More generally, 82 percent of agricultural production value is generated from crops. Only 24 percent of the value added to products, however, is achieved through commercial agriculture, with subsistence farming accounting for most of the value-added products in the sector. In Samoa, there are five crops that account for 76 percent of production value. These include taro, swamp taro, coconut, banana and pumpkin. Additionally, cabbage (15 percent) and tomato (3 percent) account for most of the remaining production value. Critically, shortcomings in the domestic production of high-value horticultural crops contributes to the high cost of both local and imported vegetables compared to substitute foods. This in turn, contributes to the Samoan population’s high dependence on purchasing imported foods, which is estimated to account for over 70 percent of their diets. As a result, there are high consumption rates of prepared and convenience foods that contain high levels of salt, sugar and saturated fat, which contribute to poor nutrition and obesity. Despite the existing challenges, the agriculture sector has been at the forefront of economic growth in Samoa and remains crucial to national food security, income generation and export potential. Therefore, the vision for the Agriculture Sector Plan 2011–2016 focused on “Agriculture for Food and Income Security” and was guided by the “farming and fishing first” theme. In particular, two of the key areas that have been explored are improved fruit tree development and value addition for selected crops. -
DocumentLarge Agricultural Investments and Inclusion of Small Farmers: Lessons of Case Studies in 7 Countries
Executive Summary
2012Also available in:
No results found.In order to check and promote the positive synergies between private companies and rural households, an analysis of past and ongoing experiences of contract farming is required. It represents the main objective of this report. The objectives of this study are to: describe the effects of contract farming schemes, characterize the factors limiting or promoting these various impacts, identify key findings to promote the emergence of positive synergies. The study’ considers a long-term time scale (10 to 50 years) and pays particular attention to changes in agricultural farming, production systems, access to markets and governance patterns of value chains. The study also analyzes how crops initially introduced thanks to contract farming schemes develop “off contract” and induce new value chain. The study focuses on seven countries - Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, South-Africa, Laos and Indonesia – and major commodities such as: oil palm, rubber tree, fruits and vegetables, cere als, cotton and sugar cane. It is organized into 4 sections: i) the contract schemes, ii) the effects of these schemes, iii) the factors determining the nature and intensity of these effects and iv) key findings to promote positive synergies. Case studies are briefly presented in the appendix. -
ProjectFloating Garden Agricultural Practices in Bangladesh: A Proposal for Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)
Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)
2017Also available in:
No results found.. Floating gardens are age-old practice of crop cultivation in the Southern floodplains of Bangladesh (Barisal, Goplaganj and Pirojpur districts). Floating garden agricultural practices (locally known as Dhap) for growing vegetables and spices prevail in the wetlands of the south central coastal districts of Bangladesh since immemorial times. With the use of available water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and other aquatic weeds, local communities have developed a technique to construct reasona bly-sized floating platforms or raft on which vegetables and other crops can be cultivated. The unique hydroponics production system was developed in the hands of the locals by using their traditional knowledge for agricultural practice and livelihood. The production system is the major livelihood option for about 60-90% of the locals. Bio-diverse vegetables and spices crops are grown sustainably over the years on floating substrata made mainly of water hyacinth and other minor aquatic weeds on flooded water. The land with the water is used for production of fish in the open water and crops on the floating beds.
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