NZ & US Support Best Practice Business Exchange

New Zealand and US Support Best Practice Business Exchange Between Caribbean and Pacific Women In Agriculture

To assist the expansion of economic opportunities for women in the agriculture sector in the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, a best practice exchange titled Supporting Economic Empowerment and Development in the Caribbean and Pacific (SEED CAP) will be held in Jamaica from 10-12 July 2013.

The business exchange is supported by the United States and New Zealand, with the Pacific Cooperation Foundation attending as part of the Pacific regional delegation. The forum will bring together representatives from the Pacific and Caribbean private and public sectors to discuss how to further strengthen economic gains for women involved in agriculture.

Best practice models and case studies are a key focus, along with identifying areas for potential growth and collaboration to enter larger markets and improving economic outcomes for women in both regions.

Discussion topics include: strengthening women’s professional networks; entering niche markets; developing regional branding to support growth; reviewing the value chain from farmer to large scale buyer to develop cooperatives, food processing increasing productivity to reach scale while meeting quality standards; gaining access to finance; ensuring traceability and; understanding the value of agricultural biotechnology.

A group of 12 traveling from across the Pacific and New Zealand will include business leaders involved in agriculture and private sector representatives from across the region. True Pacific certified producers Adi Tafuna’i from Women in Business Development Inc (WIBDI), Cornelia Wyllie from Vanuatu Direct and Ruby Grant from Heilala Vanilla will be in attendance.

The Pacific delegation also includes organic farmer Nanette Anne Tutua from the Solomon Islands, Jenny Bekio (Coffee Industry Corporations in Papua New Guinea), Linda Paru (Business Solutions in Papua New Guinea), Dorosday Kenneth Watson (Director of Vanuatu Women’s Affairs), Karen Mapusua (Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community -POETCom), Schola Aiotra (Solomon Islands Commodities Export Marketing Authority),  Robert Oliver (True Pacific Ambassador and award-winning chef), Markerita Poutasi (PCF CEO) and Nicole Metzger (Managing Director of South Seas Produce).

PCF CEO Markerita Poutasi says the forum is an excellent opportunity to share sector experience and identify opportunities to achieve syndicated market growth.

“The SEEDCAP Exchange will grow the network of women leaders in agriculture and export who share a common experience in small island developing states. The similarities in terms of scale, areas for potential growth and future collaboration are evident,” she says.

“Achieving commercial scale to meet market expectations is our common goal and through business growth will improve economic outcomes in both regions.”

Representatives from the Caribbean include Pamela Bridgewater (US Ambassador to Jamaica), Carmen Nurse (President of the Caribbean Network of Rural Women Producers - CANROP), Alexandra Tuinstra (Farmer Finance Manager of the Rainforest Alliance), Dorienne Rowan-Campbell (Rowans Royale Jamaica Blue Mountain Organic Coffee) and MiKaela Wardlaw Lemmon (Senior Director of Women’s Economic Empowerment at Walmart). Prime Minister of hosts Jamaica, Portia Simpson Miller, will also attend.

The Supporting Economic Empowerment and Development in the Caribbean and Pacific (SEED CAP) Exchange is being held in Montego Bay, Jamaica from 10-12 July 2013.

ENDS 

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