19 students received their completion certificates at University of South Pacific (USP) Samoa campus last week, after completing their applied entrepreneurial horticulture training run in partnership between USP and Te Pukenga/Wintec.

During the course students learnt the basics of commercial horticulture and plant care, health and safety, food safety, and nutrition. For their final project students created a product made from the plants they grew. This cohort were particularly innovative, creating products such as aloe vera hand sanitiser, citrus and ginger body scrub, and bags made from processing the bark of banana trees.

Student and family feedback was extremely positive, with a number of the students now applying to continue higher level horticulture training at their local institutions next year. The graduation ceremony was attended by the Acting High Commissioner Lavea’I Ioane.

The 12 week course is part of the MFAT funded ‘Improved Livelihoods through Increase Protection of the Premium Cocoa Value Chain’ project, run by SPS Biota and supported by KVA consulting.