I grew up on the big island of Savaii, for 18 years. I went to pre-school up to college on the island - my mother is a tapa maker (one of the precious heritage of my culture) in a small family business for tourists, and my dad became unemployed when I was 8 years old and became a fisherman and a farmer. Growing up in the village wasn’t easy farming and fishing was our only way of surviving in terms of sending me and my three sisters to school, especially taking care of my grandparents. Seeing my parents working hard to provide for us and cover all expenses, (families, village, and church) really pushed me to do my best in school. When I graduated in 2015 from Palauli College and it was time for me to move to the main island of Upolu for studies, I was scared - I wasn’t sure if I was going to repay my parent’s hard work or If I was going to fail them. Whenever I feel down or lost I always try to think that my parents will no longer worry about a thing if I do well and am able to provide for my family.

For my academic journey, school tuition fees are very expensive and my family cannot afford them, so I always look out for opportunities/scholarships that are available to support my studies. In 2016 I started at USP - I was one of the recipients of the Apia Rotary Club Scholarship, and for my undergraduate level, I received one of the Government of scholarship for three years for Bachelor of Agriculture. And now I am blessed again to be one of the recipients of the ACIAR/USP Scholarship 2022.

Through my research, I will be able to learn the market demand and consumer preferences for sheep meat so that I can advise the farmer to farm accordingly so that they can meet those preferences and it will open the market for them. I believe there is no purpose to farming and increasing production if the product produced doesn’t meet the consumer’s preferences.

• Domestic Livestock Production & Marketing
• Imported Meat vs Domestic Meat Supply & Demand
• Agribusiness
• Small Ruminant - Sheep
• Value Chain
• Food Security

Masters of Agriculture
Project Title: Investigating local consumer attitudes, habits, and preferences for sheep meat in Samoa.

ACIAR Project - LS/2018/183
Sectoral analysis and investment requirements for improving Fiji and Samoa small ruminant sector

Supervisor: Dr Siaka Diarra, University of the South Pacific
Co-Supervisor: Dr Tiago Alves Corrêa Carvalho da Silva, University of New England

Click here for more information (available on the ACIAR website).

LinkedIn: Tusiata Salu