Farmers, district councils and Itu-o-Tane College students in Savai‘i have received practical training aimed at reducing the damage caused by feral pigs to Samoa’s agriculture sector.
Hansell Supplies organised the community training and awareness programme in partnership with the Market Development Facility and Samoa’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Participants learned effective methods for capturing feral pigs, including dry trapping using large cage traps. The method is already proving successful in parts of Samoa.
The training forms part of wider efforts by the Samoan Government and its partners to improve feral pig management and protect farms, crops and rural livelihoods.
The Australian High Commission in Samoa said it has supported the Market Development Facility’s work alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa and other partners.
Feral pigs can cause extensive damage by destroying crops, disturbing soil and entering farming areas. Community training provides farmers and villages with practical tools to control pig populations and reduce future losses.
The programme also gives students and community leaders an opportunity to learn how coordinated trapping can support agriculture and environmental management across Savai‘i.
