Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy 2007.

The present Agricultural Sector Plan (ASP) 2016-2020 consists of two volumes. Volume 1 provides an overview of the national policy context, a summary of the key findings from the review of the ASP 2011-2015 implementation and the strategic policy framework for the ASP going forward. It also describes the governance and institutional arrangements to implement and coordinated the delivery of the intended multi-sector programs. Whereas the volume 2 of the Plan contains the detailed costed implementation plan and monitoring framework which provides a clear indication of the roles and responsibilities of lead agencies and potential sources of funding. In line with overarching government policy, the ASP promotes private sector-led agriculture growth and recognizes that the Private Sector - including farmers and fishers (big and small), traders, food vendors, processors, retailers and exporters – are the major sector output generators. The private sector also provides important services to the sector and it is envisaged that private sector operators, where appropriate, will increasingly be involved in service roles.
The overall national Vision is to improve quality of life for all; the Vision of the present Sector Plan is a sustainable agriculture and fisheries sector for food security, health, prosperity, job, creation and resilience and the goal of the sector is increase food, nutrition and income security. The Sector Strategic Policy Objectives are: 1) To ensure a priority focused agriculture sector operating within a stable and coherent enabling policy and legislative framework; 2) To ensure an increased stable supply and consumption of domestically produced nutritious food products for both rural and urban communities; 3) To enhance private sector capacity in improving production, productivity, product quality, value adding and marketing; 4) To strengthen capacities in rural communities, land owners, farmers and fishers to use natural resources in a sustainable way and increase sector resilience to natural disasters and climate change.
The institutional framework for implementing and supporting the ASP is complex and fragmented with a range of government departments, corporate bodies, private sector and NGOs all having important roles to play.The lead agency for the sector is the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) with its six divisions: i) Corporate Services Division; ii) Policy, iii) Planning and Communications Division (houses the Sector Coordination Unit); iv) Crops Division; v) Livestock Division; v) Fisheries Division; vi) Quarantine Division. Other Key partners for implementing the ASP include the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE); Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL); Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) -Trade Division; the Scientific Research Organization of Samoa (SROS); the Ministry of Health (MOH) -NCDs & Nutrition; the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) – Curriculum & school feeding; the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development; the Ministry of Finance (MOF); the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS); The Development Bank of Samoa (DBS). However, the oversight responsibility for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Agriculture Sector Plan rests with the Agriculture Sector Steering Committee (ASSC).
An effective and affordable monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system will be essential to ensure that strategic directions are achieving the desired end of sector plan outcomes and impact. This will require initially that there is sufficient baseline data in place, and subsequently, systematic data collection on relevant indicators. Good monitoring will allow appropriate adjustments to the plan framework as implementation unfolds.