Working with the coconut farmers of Savai’i

Damian Buckley volunteered for six months in 2017 as a Horticulture Adviser, working with the one hundred and twenty-one members of the Savai’i Coconut Farmers Association (SCFA), based on the island of Savai’i in Samoa. He reflects on his assignment.

After undertaking an intensive recruitment process at VSA HQ in Wellington, and successfully completing the necessary health, police and reference checks, I duly arrived on the island of Savai’i in late July 2017  to begin work with the SCFA and its partner organisations; Krissy Co (an Ah Liki Group company), Fairtrade ANZ and VSA.

The relationship between the Samoan commercial buyer Krissy Co and the SCFA, is overseen by Fairtrade ANZ through its Business Partner Platform sponsored by Australia’s Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  

The benefit of that significant international partner programme framework is enormous.

Not only is the SCFA guaranteed a minimum price for its coconuts as determined by Fairtrade ANZ, but the farmers’ association can access the myriad expertise and resources that Fairtrade ANZ offers fledgling organisations.

Within the role I was given the specific tasks of encouraging the farmers to replant new coconut trees; start to use compost as a medium for accelerating growth; plus build and mentor a leadership team to run, grow and govern the organisation.

Damian (far right) with SCFA staff

The reason that this assignment was created is because the existing Savai’ian coconut tree population is ageing to the point where its impending senility will lead to a dramatic, even catastrophic reduction in nut yields within a decade.

The majority of the 30,000 hectares of coconut plantations on the island were planted at the same point 50-60 years ago.

In the intervening time there has been very little succession planting, particularly to replace the huge number of trees destroyed by the devastating back-to-back cyclones of Ofa and Val in the early 90s.

Those events coincided with the international blacklisting of coconut oil as a nutritional health villain in 1994 (The infamous "do you want popcorn with your fat?" article, published by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest in the US)

It is only in the last six to seven years that coconut oil has started to make a comeback as a healthy food source through the recent efforts of international food scientists, working to dispel the gravest concerns.

However, because coconut trees can take up to seven years to mature enough to begin to fruit, there is an imperative to re-plant immediately to offset that impending and inevitable yield decline previously mentioned.

The farmers of the SCFA collectively planted over 6,000 new seedlings in late 2017 which gives bright hope for the island industry.

I have also enjoyed working with the elected members of the Board and leadership team. Having secured development budget for them, the group has embarked on personal and professional development programmes we have selected.

Coconut planting, Savai'i

Living as a local on Savai’i has been a truly incredible experience.

I use the colourful public buses to travel to work daily, I buy produce at the roadside stalls or at the market in the main town of Salelologa. (pronounced sa-lay-lo-lona with silent g).

The communities of villages are colourful and beautifully gardened; and the people are warm, humorous, gentle and welcoming.

I have been treated to heart-warming levels of hospitality, have attended all sorts of family, civic and official events as guest of honour, yet have also lived simply with my new-found friends and their communities and shared in their daily life.

I have been extremely lucky to have stayed in a self-contained unit at Amoa Resort for the duration of my stay. There cannot be many more beautiful places in the world to call home!

Amoa resort

Sunday is a day of rest and religion for the Samoan nation. I have been fortunate to have attended services as a palagi guest, with friends and colleagues, at eight different church denominations. I have found that to be both fascinating and enjoyable, with the expectation of me attending a shared lunch with the pastors after the service a precondition of attendance!

Occasional trips on the ferry back over to Opolu, with the prospect of few days spent in Apia, or travelling round the tourism spots on that island provided a welcome break. I have enjoyed the restaurants, bars, museums (The Robert Louis Stevenson museum is gorgeous) in Apia Town.

Natural attractions including the world famous To Sua Trench or the Sopo’aga Falls compliment those on my island of Savai’i, such as the Alofa’aga blowholes or the Afu Aau waterfall and swim hole.

The distribution of fantastic resorts around both islands gives the traveller so much accommodation choice.

My favourites, other than Amoa Resort, would be the various fale-based resorts at Lalo Manu village on Opolu, and the resorts at both Manase and Vaisala on Savai’i. Each location has its own character and special environment in which to enjoy rest and recreation.

I have had the enjoyment of immersing myself in this VSA volunteer assignment in Samoa.

Simply giving people self-belief and confidence through a generosity of spirit on the ground and the correct resources establishes long-lasting trust and friendships. I am respectful of culture and diversity and have received an enthusiastic reception in large farmer Fale meetings here on Savai’i, for speaking with compassion, authority and clarity of vision about my understanding of Fa'a Samoa (the Samoan way of doing things).

I hope I have made a valuable contribution to the programme. For me personally, I now possess a more rounded and significant breadth of experience in cementing social enterprise and commercial partners in fruitful relationships.

So, what next?

My assignment will come to an end at the end of January and I will reflect on the fabulous immersive experience I have been lucky to enjoy.

To have fashioned a once-in-a-lifetime experience as a VSA volunteer will be a highlight that I will look back on with fondness and pride.