Diversity, Economic Value and Regional Distribution of Plant Food Products at Local Tropical Markets: A Samoa Case Study

Abstract

Local markets are still an integral part of the food system in developing economies of tropical regions including Samoa. This small South Pacific country is largely dependent on the production of crops in village agriculture, where traditional markets play an important role in sustainability of food supply. Similarly as many small island developing economies, Samoa is currently facing several challenges such as food security and high dependence on food imports. Therefore, we decided to monitor the diversity of plant foods on Samoan local markets and their economic and geographic indicators through interviews with the vendors. Our results suggest that assortment and economical value of plant food products have potential to increase sustainable food security of the local population and support economic growth of the region. For example, underutilized crops available at local markets are prospective species for development of new food products with beneficial nutritional and health properties. Moreover, certain commodities (e.g., papaya, kava and Samoan cocoa) seem to be promising for export. In addition, our findings suggest that development of appropriate processing technologies and the optimization of the logistics of crop products sold at local markets can contribute to an increase in efficiency of the regional agricultural sector.