Federated States of Micronesia Agriculture Policy 2012-2016.

The Agriculture Policy Goals are: Achieve national food security, safety and nutritional health; Improve farm incomes and livelihoods with particular focus on gender and vulnerable groups; Strengthen socio-cultural safety nets; Preserve and protect culture, traditional knowledge and practices; Support sustainable economic growth and improve the balance of trade; Improve natural resource management. Developing domestic market and export opportunities based on traditional crops would ensure strong backward linkages to the rural communities who have the experience and the resources to produce them (pag. 26). The Agriculture Policy renews the emphasis on domestic food production in the Federated States of Micronesia with a priority policy focus to national food security and nutritional health through increased food self-sufficiency. It addresses the key challenge of developing pathways for commercialization of smallholder farming systems building on traditional systems and practices, which allow increased employment and cash-generating opportunities for rural households, but without sacrificing family and community cohesion and ultimately food security. An express goal of the policy is that through invigorating traditional agriculture to strengthen socio-cultural safety nets (pag. 7).
The Development Outcome (Results) Areas establish: a well resourced and properly focused agriculture sector operating within a stable and consistent policy framework; and enhanced capacity of sector stakeholders; increased sustainable production (and productivity) of traditional farming systems to provide for household nutrition, traditional needs and cash incomes; increased volumes of saleable agricultural products to be marketed by the private sector into domestic and export markets; more product value adding through efficient value chains; strengthened domestic and international transport linkages; enhanced synergies between the agriculture and tourism sectors; enhanced environmental services and sector resilience to natural disasters and climate change. By 2023, FSM will have a vibrant, robust and productive agriculture sector that sustainably supports food security, healthy lifestyles, strong social safety nets, and promotes a greener economy. The sector will provide good employment and income generation opportunities, economic growth and a decreased trade deficit (pag. 9).
The Agriculture Policy endorsed by all key sector stakeholders and adopted by the representative governments at the municipal, state and national level provides the overarching policy framework for the sector. To ensure continued policy relevance and facilitate policy deepening priority attention will be focused on strengthening agriculture and socio-economic data and capacity to analyze agriculture policy issues. The offices responsible for agriculture will work closely with the national statistical services to strengthen data collection systems and reporting. An appropriate level of staff time and financial resources will be devoted to maintenance of good data systems (pag. 20). The Agriculture Policy is premised on seven guiding principles to be adhered to which are considered essential to sustain the resources base, protect cultural values and promote equitable social and economic development. These principles are: Environmental Sustainability; Cultural Sensitivity and Integrity; Social and Gender Equity; Private Sector Led Growth; Subsidiarity; Good Governance and Transparency; Observance of International Treaties (pag. 9).
Government recognizes that traditional farming systems are an important component of livelihoods and properly managed have proven productive and sustainable. Therefore building on these systems, to enhance productivity and efficiency, will be the guiding principle for government interventions and support. Given the limited potential for larger plantation development and the dearth of investment capital for the agriculture sector, raising production volumes will be primarily dependent on increasing smallholder production (pag. 22).
The natural environment is central to food security, livelihoods and the commodity export industries of FSM. Therefore, sustained growth in the agriculture sector is critically dependent on the sustainable management of the natural resource base. The competing demands on the environment and differentiated impacts of climate change must be assessed and taken into consideration when formulating strategies to address the development challenges the productive sector faces. This policy respects the principles and objectives of sustainable land management (SLM) (pag. 28).