Tauilili Polito Vili runs a 50-acre taro farm. But in recent years, something unexpected has taken root: a thriving tiapula (taro planting material) nursery that has become one of the most productive in his district.

With support from PHAMA Plus, Tauilili received training, equipment and planting material to start nursery production. What began as a small quarter-acre plot quickly exceeded expectations. The tiapula grew fast, strong and plentiful, and demand from other farmers was immediate.

“The nursery now brings me a steady side income without needing heavy labour, and I can harvest the suckers myself,” he said.

In just two years, he is now selling more than 5,000 tiapula a week. His nursery has expanded to three acres, with more land already earmarked for growth. What began as a small addition to his farm has become a core part of his business, while also helping neighbouring farmers access planting material needed to rebuild taro production.

His experience reflects a broader story unfolding across Samoa’s taro sector. Taro is central to Samoa’s food security, cultural identity and rural livelihoods. It remains a key cash crop and one of the few scalable opportunities for smallholders to earn income from agriculture, supporting more than 18,000 households across the country.

But the sector has faced repeated shocks over recent decades. From the devastating impacts of taro leaf blight to disruptions driven by COVID-19, labour shortages and ongoing pressures such as feral pig damage, Samoa’s agrifood system has been under sustained strain.

These challenges have reshaped how the taro market functions. Strong domestic demand often competes with lower-margin export markets, making it difficult to sustain consistent export volumes while maintaining food security.

Rebuilding the sector has required more than increasing production. It has required strengthening the systems that underpin how taro is grown, processed and traded.

The PHAMA and PHAMA Plus programs, funded by Australia and New Zealand, have worked alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa, and private-sector partners to support this transition.

Three areas of system strengthening have been central to this work: improving access to planting material, strengthening biosecurity systems and enhancing export readiness. At the foundation of the sector is the availability of quality planting material, or tiapula.

When shortages became a critical constraint to both food security and commercial production, a mixed public-private nursery model was introduced. This strengthened government nursery systems while enabling private farmers like Tauilili to establish commercial nurseries. It also helped shift perceptions of tiapula from a freely distributed input to a valued market-based product, creating a supply system that did not previously exist.

In the short term, the large-scale distribution of tiapula helped stabilise production. In the longer term, nursery systems have continued to expand, with significant increases in production and supply through emerging commercial networks.

This has strengthened the foundation for production growth while improving access to varieties that combine disease tolerance with commercial quality. At the same time, biosecurity systems have been strengthened to protect domestic production and export pathways.

Investments in surveillance, diagnostics, processing systems and treatment capabilities have helped Samoa manage risks and maintain access to key markets. These efforts have been grounded in strong local leadership, supported through public-private coordination and partnerships with national institutions.

The establishment of the Samoa Export Authority reflects a growing commitment to sustaining these gains through national systems. Beyond production and biosecurity, improvements in processing infrastructure, cold-chain systems and compliance have strengthened export readiness.

Investments in packhouse capability, certification and refrigerated transport have improved product quality and enabled exporters to manage supply and timing better. A particular focus has been on supporting frozen taro exports, which offer a lower-risk pathway and greater flexibility compared to fresh exports.

This allows exporters to respond more effectively to market demand, even when production volumes fluctuate. Together, these changes are helping reposition Samoa’s taro sector. National production is showing signs of recovery, with systems better able to support both domestic markets and export opportunities.

For farmers like Tauilili, these system-level changes are already tangible. His nursery is not only a source of income, but part of a broader shift in how the sector operates. Farmers are becoming suppliers within a more organised system, contributing to production, quality and market access.

At the same time, continued progress will depend on addressing ongoing constraints. Labour shortages, limited mechanisation and feral pig damage continue to affect production, while careful sequencing of export growth will be important to avoid undermining domestic food security.

Samoa’s taro story is not simply about recovery. It is about rebuilding a system that can better withstand shocks, support farmers and respond to changing market conditions.