The GEF-7 Samoa Invasive Alien Species (IAS) Project held its second Project Board Meeting for 2026, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss project delivery and progress for the second quarter of 2026 and to chart the way forward for upcoming activities.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), Ministry of Finance (MOF), Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS), and UNDP in Samoa, Cook Islands, Tokelau & Niue
A key outcome of the meeting was the official confirmation and acceptance by the Project Board of the UNDP Small Grants Programme (SGP) as the approved mechanism for implementing the Low Value Grant (LVG) component of the project.
Through the LVG component, project communities will have the opportunity to propose and implement community-level initiatives aimed at safeguarding Samoa’s natural ecosystems and food production systems from Invasive Alien Species (IAS) and unsustainable land-use practices.
The LVG Call for Proposals, targeting specific project sites, is scheduled for the first week of September 2026.
Through continued collaboration among key government ministries, NGOs, partners and communities, the GEF-7 Samoa IAS Project remains committed to creating a sustainable and thriving environment where Samoa’s rich biodiversity and food production systems can prosper, while invasive alien species are sustainably managed and controlled.