Training hosted by the U.N.D.P. (United Nations Development Programme) has stoked the interest of young people in koko farming.

The programme recently carried out workshops on koko farming, which focused on koko grafting, processing, and contract farming to build the capacity of young farmers in the industry.

The programme is a continuation of the Youth Koko Initiative Training Workshops held in Savaii earlier this month, as part of the COVID-19 Preparedness and Recovery: Diversification of the Economic Sector in Samoa (C.P.R.D.E.S.S) Project.

According to a joint statement by the UNDP and Samoa Chamber of Commerce the programme is funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by the UNDP in partnership with the Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The officer in charge for UNDP, Verena Linneweber said in the statement that the programme builds partnerships.

“It’s a pleasure to see the youth engaged and eager to grow their knowledge and skill in growing, harvesting and creating opportunities in the koko industry,” she said.

“Not only are they receiving much-needed training, they also got the chance to build partnerships and networks through information and resource sharing.”

The Vice President of the Samoa Koko Industry Association (S.K.I.A) Alo Kolone Vaai said that it is critical for the youth to have access to these programmes as they will be the ones to take the industry forward in the future.

“As existing farmers and SKIA members, our duty is to impart our knowledge to ensure that the youth are doing it right and are aware of all the necessary requirements to take Samoa koko to overseas markets. I very much look forward to the growth of this programme,” Alo said.

The programme aims to engage young farmers in the Koko industry which one young koko farmer described as programme encouraging.

Esther Eti is a new koko farmer from Lepa and she said in the statement that she has learned a lot from the initiative.

“I learnt in this program that there is more to koko Samoa than the hot brew that we are used to,” she said.

“I learnt that koko Samoa is a highly valued product in the overseas market. It is used to make products such as chocolate, cocoa butter, Vaseline, etc. Samoa was once a highly sought-after market for premium koko and seeing the potential of Samoa’s koko industry has been very encouraging for me as a new farmer.”

According to the statement, Samoa’s youth unemployment rate is currently at 16.5 per cent, and the COVID-19 Preparedness and Recovery Diversification of the Economic Sector in Samoa Project is one of many initiatives that hopes to change this. 

It focuses on responding to the socioeconomic challenges impacts of COVID-19, by equipping young men and women with the skill and knowledge to create new business and employment opportunities in the agriculture and fisheries sector.