On Friday 17 th June 2022, farmers and fishers from the villages of Patamea, Samalaeulu, Mauga
and Saleaula of the district of Gagaemauga #1 in Savaii gathered to showcase their First
Harvest (Ulua’i Seleselega) as part of their celebrations of the 60 th Independence of Samoa.
The First Harvest event took place at the grounds of the Samalaeulu Primary School and it was
held in conjunction with the official opening of their new school hall funded by the
Government of Japan. The event was attended by the Hon Acting Prime Minister who is also
the Member of Parliament from Gaegaemauga #1, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon Ministers of
Education, Sports and Culture, and Justice and Court Administration, Associate Ministers of
Agriculture and Fisheries, and Women, Community and Social Development, Ambassador of
the Government of Japan, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific,
and Rev Palemia Tauiliili of Samalaeulu EFKS who raised the national flag and conducted the
devotional service for all the events held as part of the district’s 60 th independence celebrations.
In his speech, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea
Polataivao Fosi Schmidt emphasized the significance of the initiative and drive by the
Government to promote First Harvest events in districts, rather than the two national agriculture
and fisheries shows held annually in Upolu and Savaii in the past. Holding such events in
districts provides every farmer and fisher with the opportunity to participate and showcase
his/her fruits of harvest for sale to the visitors and especially exporters. He also emphasized
and promoted the urgent need for our people to farm their available fertile lands to sustain our
food and nutrition security given the recent increase in prices of imported unhealthy food
products that we are so accustomed to given their ease and convenience of preparations. There
are also various nutritious foods that we can locally produce to contribute towards our import
substitution efforts via sales to the local markets. Finally, he encouraged the farmers and fishers
to utilize the opportunity during their First Harvest event to negotiate with participating
exporters, for future supplies for export markets, which will generate additional incomes for
their hard work. Hon La’aulialemalietoa also spoke of the importance of studying Agriculture
and encouraged the younger generation of the district to consider agriculture as a field of study
to pursue in the future.
A representative of the Savaii Foods and Produce Exporters, Ms. Veronica Ah Chee, was
present at the event and shared that it has provided her with the opportunity to explore and buy
different varieties of crop produce for her export consignments.
The First Harvest Organising Committee for Gagaemauga #1 District comprising of Vaifale
Mokoi, Vaifale Vea, Tevaga Mai, Semau Iosua, Tevaga Vui and Vaifale Petelo, requested for
Government’s assistance to provide more equipment and tools to improve agricultural
development in their district as well as more coconut seedlings for replanting to revitalize the
coconut production in their district.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries provided farming tools and equipment, seeds and
seedlings of various vegetable, fruit and food tree crops for the farmers and fishers of
Gagaemauga #1 District.