American Samoa News 2016
American-Samoa 2016 NewsAméricosamoa Gouverneur says 2016'challenging''.
American Samoa State governor Lolo Moliga says 2016 was a tough and demanding year for the United States. Said the federal budget for the year was $1.2 million. In her first tenure, the Lolo Lemanu administration's chief executive emphasized some of its achievements.
In 2013, the area's sales amounted to 93 million US dollars. In the following year it increased to 98.9 million dollars, in 2015 sales increased to 114 million dollars and in the last fiscal year sales decreased to 104.4 million dollars. Mr Lolo said that 1500 new workplaces have been added in the area of Tri Marine's Samoa Tuna Processors and other development.
The American Samoa Report
A summary of the activities and results of the State/Protectorate PDP 2016: In 2016, the two themes for the PDP 2016 were food safety and training for sustainable agriculture. The American Samoa Community College - Agriculture, Community and Natural Resources (ASCC-ACNR) has successfully passed the course Produce Safety Alliance Produce Safety Train the Trainer in Irvine California.
Currently, country-specific training material (GAPs/GHPs/SOPs) is being prepared in English, Samoan, Vietnamese and Simplified Chinese. Jensen Uyeda, Agriculture Extension Agent, University of Hawaii-Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, held two day workshop and two day visit to the farms. Further education topics for 2016:
Training events: Producce Occupational Healthcare Alliance Train the Trainer Kurs, Irvine Kalifornien. Participation of two ASCC-ACNR-employees. Ext. representatives of ASCC-ACNR, USA-NRCS, USDA-NRCS, community hydroponics development project of CBO, USA. Currently, GAP, GHP and SOP poster for security-related products are being created in Samoa and the corresponding language.
Consciousness, know-how and skill in the production of security practice and training methodologies to be used in the training of security training sessions for community growers in the near term, as well as the development of training materials have been strengthened. 12 hydroponics and traditonal peasants took part in the training sessions. There are four growers who have introduced new skill sets (GAP/GHPs and hydroponics systems) from the work.
13 agricultural experts took part in the workshop and found that they were learning new ways that would be useful for their work. Participation in the PSA training course led to contact with PSA personnel and the Western Regional Food Security Training Center. This contact helps us in the manufacture of security training material.
Mr. Jensen Uyeda's trip has enabled ASCC-ACNR to establish contact with the Hawaii State Department of Agricultur and to seek their support in the improvement of the ASDOA supervised programme for the safe use of agricultural pesticides. There is currently no formal counseling board, but career advancement opportunities are needed from ASCC-ACNR, ASDOA, American Samoa USDA-NRCS staff and more.