ABSTRACT
The idea has been introduced that smallholder cattle farming in Samoa may be a success after all. That is, not only were fa’alavelave not the problem, but that there may not even be a problem. This chapter investigates the issues of success further. Success can be measured as positive and sustained change over time and thus a historical perspective, often beyond the normal time limits of a project cycle, should be taken. The ‘big push’ or rapid expansion phase began in the early 1970s when formal cattle projects began. The Beef Cattle Pilot Project was the first large cattle project in Western Samoa, and established the foundation on which other projects were based. Funded by the Asian Development Bank, UNDP and New Zealand, it was also known as the ADB Project. The distribution of cattle to both individual farmers and the Rural Development Programme for village groups put enormous pressure on the breeding herds on the two government farms.
