Another successful Pacific Agri-Innovate Workshop and Pitching event took place on 28-29 October 2024 in Samoa.
The first day event was held at the Lava Hotel, where participants showcased their products and participated in interactive workshops. On the second day, the event was held at the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS) in Nafanua, Apia, where participants took part in the pitching competition.
The winners of the Pacific Agri-Innovate Competition 2024 – Samoa are:
🍀Vicki Va’ai – Vicki’s Products
🍀Precilla Milly Betham-Tauaa – Aleisa Coffee
🍀Faalualuo Floris Niu – Ms. Sunshine Organic Farms Charitable Trust
Business Assistance Fiji (BAF), Accountant/Business Development Officer, Nitika Singh commended participants for their dedication and determination, recognising the effort they put into the competition.
SROS, Chief Executive Officer, Fiso Pousui Dr. Fiame Leo was the chief guest at the event. He emphasised the vital role of innovation and transformation in Samoa’s agricultural sector, key for economic growth, food security, and rural development.
He highlighted the Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems (STODAS) Project, funded by the European Union, which aims to enhance agrifood systems across the Pacific by fostering community-based production and capacity-building.
Dr. Leo expressed pride in SROS’s leadership in establishing the Samoa Agribusiness Incubation Centre, a facility designed to nurture agribusiness entrepreneurs and advance Samoa’s agricultural ecosystem.
The winners will participate in the 2024 Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum, taking place from 5-8 November in Nadi. There, they will have the opportunity to present their businesses and showcase their products. In addition, each winner will receive a prize of $1,000 USD at the forum.
This competition was part of the STODAS in Fiji, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The initiative is proudly supported by BAF.
