IFAD in Country

IFAD in Samoa

Samoa has been a member of IFAD since 1977. The organization has funded two projects in Samoa: the Rural Activation Project, which closed in 1996, and the Livestock Development Project, which closed in 1991. IFAD is in the process of redesigning its role in the country in response to Samoa’s new middle income status.

IFAD’s strategy in Samoa

Samoa’s very small size makes a nationwide approach to project targeting inevitable. In the context of IFAD’s re-engagement process in the Pacific, the Sub-regional Strategic Opportunities Paper for the Pacific Islands Countries was approved in 2004. The regional approach enables the organization to reduce administrative costs while reaching most, if not all, member countries in the subregion. The paper identifies Samoa as one of the countries participating in the subregional lending programme.

The overall objective of the IFAD’s sub-regional programme for the Pacific Islands is to enable the rural poor to overcome poverty and hardship by enhancing livelihood opportunities and by reducing vulnerability. The strategy identifies the need and opportunity to promote and support interventions based on the principles of community ownership, self reliance and sustainability. Specific development outcomes relate to strengthening the capacity of the rural poor and their organisations, improving equitable access to productive natural resources and technology and increasing access to financial services and markets.

The strategy identifies future interventions in the sub-region to be within the following overall themes: development of rural communities in atolls, outer islands and upland areas; support for vulnerable groups, rural youth and women; improvements in local food security and import substitution; development of market opportunities and income generation in rural areas; participation in multi-stakeholder partnerships; and support for development of effective local governance.

Source: IFAD

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