Lindsay Kiang, Secretary of Mate Fish Farming Group from Burui-Kunai LLG, Wosera-Gawi District, East Sepik Province, expressed her satisfaction with a weeklong workshop themed “Group Enterprise Development.
This workshop was part of the implementation of the European Union-funded STREIT PNG Programme and organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) aimed at to equip participants with essential management skills and promote gender equality in leadership roles in agri-business groups.
Ms. Kiang, who was among 48 other participants, expressed that this training, has equipped them with lifelong skills.
“What I have learned is more important than the boats and cars we need for our businesses because these are material things that will not last long, but the information with skills and knowledge that have been imparted unto us, such as how to manage our money, is enduring and will support us in the long run, not only in our businesses but also in our daily living.”
The workshop gave an opportunity for the participants to discuss, do group work and presentations on Group Agribusiness Management, Group Dynamics, Financial Literacy and Gender & Youth Inclusion in agri-business, as well as how to prepare cashbooks debtors’ records, credit records, labour records, cash flow, and balance sheets, to better manage the revenues and expenses of businesses.
The capacity-building workshop concluded with a study tour of the FAO Thiaroye Technology (FTT) fish-processing set-up in Karawap in Wewak District.
This is a pilot program in partnership with Karawambo Women’s Business Group with a membership of 200 women, including of 74 female youths.
The FTT technology supports fishers, particularly fisherwomen, to own and operate profitable fish processing businesses by diversifying their products, reducing post-harvest losses, extending fish shelf life, and increasing the competitiveness of their fish products.
FAO Gender & Youth Inclusion Specialist led the capacity-building workshop provided that poor accountability and management are the leading cause of business failure.
She added that one of the reasons for the many failures is that women and youths are often not included in leadership positions within groups.
The workshop was beneficial in that it aimed to upskill women and youth in managerial positions, thereby building confidence to manage operations of their group businesses for sustainability.
The EU-STREIT PNG, being implemented as a UN Joint Programme (FAO as leading aagency/ administrative agent, and ILO, ITU, UNCDF and UNDP as implementing partners), is the largest grant-funded Programme of the European Union in the country and the Pacific region.
The Programme focuses on increasing sustainable and inclusive economic development of rural areas through increasing the economic returns and opportunities from cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains and strengthening and improving the efficiency of value chain enablers including the business environment and supporting sustainable, climate-resilient transport and energy infrastructure development.