24 Oct 2012

American Samoans encouraged into vegetable gardening

6:51 pm on 24 October 2012

The Department of Agriculture in American Samoa is looking to attract more locals to take up vegetable gardening so they can take better advantage of the School Lunch programme.

The programme has been set up to provide free meals for students, and is also intended to help put money back into the economy by buying from local farmers.

However, the director of the department, Lealao Mel Purcell, says about 40 Chinese farmers are now regular suppliers of the programme, but claims they don't pay taxes.

Our correspondent, Monica Miller, says as a result Lealao is trying to encourage locals to get more involved in produce.

"Before he became a director, while he was still working for the government and also for private business, he is one of the first and well known vegetable farmers in the territory so he said that he's trying to change or attract more interest from farmers in vegetable gardening."

Our correspondent in American Samoa, Monica Miller.