The district of Vaisigano 1 has launched its inaugural Harvest Ceremony, led by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Niuava Fata Eti Leatiogie Malolo Funefeai. The event, held in Mati’a Mati’aituau, brought together farmers, local leaders, and officials in a ceremony that highlighted the importance of self-reliance through agriculture.
In his remarks, the Minister acknowledged the growing challenges Samoa faces due to heavy dependence on imported goods, including high food prices and health issues linked to processed foods. He emphasised the government’s commitment to reducing hunger and improving national food security through local farming and livestock development.
“Our people have the capacity to work the land,” said Niuava. “We must reduce our reliance on imports and ensure every household has access to healthy, homegrown food.”
The Minister encouraged the people of Vaisigano 1 to utilise available support from the Ministry, including training programmes and agricultural projects designed to help families grow crops, raise animals, and build sustainable food sources. He also noted the district’s strong potential, with large areas of fertile land and promising developments in cocoa, kava, and citrus farming.
The ceremony recognised the hard work of farmers and livestock owners, with a focus on encouraging more participation in agricultural activities as a path to both economic resilience and better health outcomes.
The event concluded with the official opening of the First Harvest of Vaisigano 1, as the Minister called it a step toward a Samoa that is self-sufficient, peaceful, and secure.
Lauga
Lauga a le Afioga i le Minisita o Fa’atoaga ma Faigafaiva, Hon Niuava Fata Eti Leatiogie Malolo Funefeai
ULUAI SELESELEGA VAISIGANO 1
O lea ua i liu o vaa atu sisi a tautai ma ua maea ona fa‘alele manulagi ma lulu le salefu paia e ala i faiva laulau sasa‘a o lau Susuga i le ta‘ita‘i o le sauniga, lau Susuga Rev Pulea Tiumalu. Fa‘amālō le folafola. Fa‘afetai tima‘i.
‘Oute mua‘i taia le seuga ma fa‘apoi le vaiula i paia ma sā o lenei aso. Le susu o lau Susuga i le ta‘ita‘i o le sauniga, Afifio Minisita o le Kapeneta, Afio le Pule Sili o le Matagaluega o Fa‘ato‘aga ma le Pulega, tāinane Samoa ua potopoto i Mati‘a Mati‘aituau nei. O outou paia o le a ‘ou lē a‘oa‘oina fa‘afausa malepe aua o paia ua uma ona tu‘ulaupua ma tosi lauti e le gafatia e se fa‘amatalaga. Tau ina ‘ou fa‘atulou nei sipa se lamaga ona faitauina lea o so‘u vaivai. Tulou tulou lava.
Ua mālama i ulugalu le ‘ute ma le ‘anoliu o lenei aso ma lona fa‘amoemoe e pei ona molimauina e le atunu‘u. O se taumafaiga ma se fuafuaga alualu mamao a le Malo e tau‘ala mai i le Matagaluega o Fa‘ato‘aga ma Faigafaiva ina ia mautinoa le tafiesea o le oge i Samoa e ala i le ‘ūnai o fa‘ato‘aga, ‘ae lē gata i lea o le atina‘eina o lo tatou tamaoaiga.
E lē tau fa‘amatalaina le tulaga ua iai le soifuaga ma a‘afiaga ua alia‘e mai i fale gaosi oloa i fafo o lo‘o tele ina fa‘amoemoe iai le fofoga taumafa o lo tatou atunu‘u. E lē gata ua si‘itia lona tau ua lagona ai le iu leo – ua taugatā le soifuaga – ‘ae ua tele ai fo‘i ma fa‘amai ‘ese‘ese ua a‘afia ai lo tatou atunu‘u.
E maualuga le talitonuga a le tatou Malo e tau‘ala mai i le tatou Matagaluega, o lo‘o tele le gafatia e o tatou tagata ona galueaina o tatou eleele, ina ia vāoia ai lo tatou toe fa‘alagolago i fafo mo tatou taumafa i aso fai so‘o. E ala lea i le toto ma fa‘afailele la‘au faisua ma lau taumafa mata mo le soifua mālōlōina, amata ni fagāga pua‘a, povi, mamoe ma moa mo tatou aano o manu – ‘aemaise o figota ma ‘ia o le gataifale – e lē maua ai tatou i se ma‘i.
O lo tatou Itumalo o se tasi lea o Itumalo e pito i tele lona laufanua i a Samoa, ma e mana‘omia ona fa‘aaoga tatau i fa‘ato‘aga ma lafumanu aua le tamaoaiga o ‘āiga taitasi. O lo‘o māitauina le lelei o le tatou atina‘e koko ma le ‘ava ‘aemaise le moli saina lea o lo‘o fuata nei, ‘ae mana‘omia ona sāu‘ō le atina‘e i isi fa‘ato‘aga ‘ese‘ese ina ia lē vāle tu‘ulima manuia o le Itumalo mo ā taeao.
‘Oute fia fa‘amanatu atu i le mamalu o le ‘au fa‘ato‘aga a le tatou Itumalo ina ia fa‘a‘ao‘oga tatau avanoa o polokalame fa‘agasolo a le tatou Ofisa o Fa‘ato‘aga, ‘aemaise poloketi o lo‘o fa‘agasolo mai ina ia fesoasoani i a tatou atina‘e tau fa‘ato‘aga. Ua saunia le tatou Matagaluega e tu‘u mai le lagolago ma le fesoasoani e ala i a‘oa‘oga ma fa‘alauiloa mo le fa‘amautinoaina o lo‘o fa‘asoa le tomai mo fai fa‘ato‘aga a Samoa.
O lenei aso o le a selesele ai le fai fa‘ato‘aga sa galue malosi, le fai lafumanu sa fa‘amaoni ma to‘aga ‘aemaise o isi atina‘e ‘ese‘ese ua molimauina i le aso. O le naunauta‘iga lava o le tatou Malo, ia lava taumafa a le atunu‘u ma ia ‘ūnai le galueaina o tatou eleele ina ia maua pea se Samoa e fiafia, filemu ma saogalemu.
Agalelei mai le Ali‘i i le fa‘amoemoe i lenei aso, ina ia tau i manu, vi‘ia pea lona Suafa Mamani e to‘atasi. Maua le mau i le Susuga i le ta‘ita‘i o le sauniga, maua le tofa pa‘ia i ‘āiga ma Tapa‘au, tu ma ‘ati le fa‘autaga a tula o le Itumalo aua fale ma fafo. Manuia le ‘āiga Kapeneta ua fa‘atasi mai, soifua manuia le Afioga i le Pule Sili ma le Pulega ‘aemaise Samoa ua potopoto.
I le ava ma le fa‘aaloalo, ‘oute fa‘asilasila atu ai ua tatala aloa‘ia nei le Uluai Seleselega a Vaisigano 1.
Soifua.
