Certified organic farmers in Samoa will now find it easier to sell their produce thanks to a logo launched at Malaefatu Park on Friday.

The launch was well attended despite blustery weather conditions.

Lolani Pito, Media Officer for M.E.T.I., said the logo is important so that members of the public could easily identify organic produce.

The new logo will become certification that the produce sold by a farmer is completely organic under the seal of the Matuaileoo Environment Trust Incorporated (M.E.T.I.).

 “Everything you see for sale here is certified organic,” said Training Officer for M.E.T.I., Maiava Taua Letogai.

“We do not use pesticides of any kind in this program as we are looking back to our old farming ways.”

Traditional plants and mats were also seen on display as they were grown and produced using organic methods.

Maiava said this encourages farmers to revert back to traditional farming techniques.

 “The foundation of this programme is to look into a future where we still have natural wealth in forests and our environment without drowning our fields in chemicals,” he said.

“That is why we should support organic farming.”

The C.E.O of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ulu Bismarck Crawley attended the launch. He was joined by many villagers who have been participating in M.E.T.I’s organic farming programme.

There was a contest for Samoan stories, poems and songs related to local farming.

The bad weather did not dampen the spirits of the performers and their peers.

Training Officer for M.E.T.I., Maiava Taua Letogai told the Samoa Observer that today’s launch was part of their organic participatory guarantee scheme for improving the importance of natural farms.

“Everything you see for sale here is certified organic. We do not use pesticides of any kind in this program as we are looking back to our old farming ways.” he says.

Traditional plants and mats were also seen on display as they were grown and produced using these organic methods of farming.

He says that this encourages farmers to revert back to traditional farming techniques where it is a daily routine for Samoans to tend to crops from the early morning without the overuse of pesticides.

“The foundation of this program is to look into a future where we still have natural wealth in forests and our environment without drowning our fields in chemicals. That is why we should support organic farming.” he says.