Roseau, Dominica, September 25, 2023 (IICA) The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), under a UN Project titled “Building Effective Resilience for Human Security in the Caribbean Countries: The Imperative of Gender equality and Women Empowerment in a Strengthened Agriculture (and related Agri/Fisheries small business) Sector.“, has successfully completed two comprehensive training sessions for agro-processors, as well as an insightful market study tour which took place at J. Astaphan & Co. Ltd. It is part of IICA’s commitment to strengthen the agriculture sector and support the growth of small businesses in our community.

Market Study Tour:

Around 13 women from agro-processing groups in Dominica, embarked on an enlightening market study tour at J. Astaphan & Co. Ltd. on August 24^th 2023.  The tour provided a hands-on experience for the agro-processors to understand the dynamics of retailing agricultural products in a modern marketplace.  Key takeaways from the tour included insights into consumer preferences, packaging and labelling and shelf placement.

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IICA would like to extend gratitude to J. Astaphan & Co. Ltd. for their collaboration and support in making this market study tour possible.

Training Sessions:

The training sessions, which took place on September 11^th and September 12^th, aimed to equip the agro-processors with essential skills, knowledge, and resources and to enhance their operations and promote sustainable growth. Participants had the opportunity to learn from Dr. Ian Lambert, Food Scientist; and Mrs. Jillian La Roque, Small Business Development Specialist and to engage in interactive workshops, and to network with fellow entrepreneurs.  Topics covered during the training included:

1. Marketing 101 for MSMEs
2. MSMEs Business Development Strategies
3. The Basics of Food Processing
4. Basic Requirements for a Food Processing Facility
5. Introduction to Good Manufacturing Practice (HACCP Prerequisites)
6. Packaging and Labelling of Foods
7. Nutritional Labelling
8. Nutrition Facts Calculations (How to calculate Nutrition Facts)

The session received an overwhelming response from the agro-processors, with over 20 participants actively engaged and committed to implementing the newfound knowledge in their business.

IICA is excited about the impact these training sessions and market study tour will have on agro-processors in our country as we look forward to continuing our efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector and foster entrepreneurship in the region.

The market study tour and trainings were implemented under a UN Joint Programme entitled, “Building Effective Resilience for Human Security in the Caribbean Countries: The Imperative of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in a Strengthened Agriculture (and related Agri/Fisheries Small Business) Sector”, being supported by the UN Trust Fund for Human Security.

About IICA

IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture in the Inter-American system, with a mission to encourage, promote and support its 34 Member States in their efforts to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence.