WFP and Samoa Lay Groundwork for Food System Improvements at the First Cost and Affordability of Diet Workshop

The workshop brought together representatives from government ministries, UN agencies, international and national non-governmental organisations, civil society, and the private sector to review and validate the findings of the diet cost analysis, and to discuss how the results can inform policies and programmes aimed at improving diet quality and affordability in response to the country’s high burden of non-communicable diseases. 

“This workshop is a pivotal step in our collective journey to address one of the most pressing development challenges of our time - ensuring access to affordable, nutritious and healthy diets for all Samoans, especially our most vulnerable,” said Seumalo Afele Faiilagi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of MAF Samoa, “We are confronting the real-life consequences of poor diets - malnutrition, obesity, non-communicable diseases and intergenerational cycles of poor health - that are now too common across our communities.”

The Cost and Affordability Analysis of Diets is a flagship initiative of the joint UN Sustainable Development Goals Fund programme, Catalysing the Samoa National Food Systems Transformation Agenda Through Collective Action, by the Rome-Based Agencies (WFP, Food and Agriculture Organization, and International Fund for Agricultural Development). It supports national priorities outlined in the Samoa Food Systems Pathway 2030, the National Food and Nutrition Policy & Plan of Action 2021–2026, the Health Sector Plan 2019/20–2029/30, and the Agriculture and Fisheries Sector Plan 2022/23–2026/27.

Drawing on data from the Samoa Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Health and other partners, and informed by extensive national stakeholder consultations, the recommendations of the Cost and Affordability Analysis of Diets will inform decision-making across key sectors including agriculture, health, education at both national and community level. 

“This is a pivotal moment in Samoa’s journey to transform its food systems and place nutrition at the centre of national development,” said Alpha Bah, WFP Representative for the Pacific. “WFP is proud to support the Government of Samoa and partners in turning evidence into action.”

During the workshop, sectoral working groups contributed insights to validate the findings and proposed tailored actions to help ensure the results lead to meaningful change. Civil society organisations were present to ensure the analysis is grounded in local realities and support community-led solutions.

“I wish to emphasise again the UN system’s commitment to supporting the Government of Samoa in creating a future where every Samoan has access to the nutritious food needed to lead healthy and productive lives,” said Karla Hershey, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Samoa.

This initiative reaffirms the strong commitment of the Government of Samoa and WFP to enhance food and nutrition security for Samoans, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.

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The Samoa Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is committed to promoting sustainable agricultural and fisheries practices to ensure food security and improve the livelihoods of Samoan communities.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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