“We should be proud of our unique Pacific products and work together to promote them to the world,” the prime minister said.
“The Pacific Organic Standard provides a benchmark for organic agricultural practice in our region. The Pacific should use these standards to develop a brand for international markets — a force to be reckoned with,” he added.
Tuilaepa is also the chairman of the Pacific High Level Organics Group, which comprises five Pacific Leaders.
The organics movement in the Pacific has been driven from the grassroots level by non-government associations and farmers groups. The Pacific standards are the third regional organics standards, following similar initiatives in the European Union and East Africa.
The new standards were developed in consultation with Pacific groups.
They were supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community through funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the private sector, and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements.
