The “Promoting Intra-regional Trade in Eastern Africa Project” is an initiative financed by the Government of Finland and implemented from 2014 to 2016 in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. With a budget of $5’5 million the project’s aim was to address: • Value chain weaknesses that hinder export competitiveness of producers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in selected agro-value chains (mango, honey, spices and chilli); • Deficiencies of trade & investment support institutions (TISIs) in providing the required support to enable SMEs to upgrade their competitiveness and successfully engage in export development.PROJECT PARTNERS include: The Kenya Export Promotion Council (EPC), the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) (formerly HCDA), the Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM), the Association of Mango Growers (AMAGRO), the Tanzania Forestry Services (TFS), the Tanzania Honey Council (THC), the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and TanTrade. In Zambia: Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), Zambia Bureau of Standards, Agri-business Forum and Zambia Honey Council.
In Kenya, through use of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) capacity building for selected processors/exporters of mango and chili ...
To ensure that local stakeholders sustain and even multiply the results, the project has been training local expertise, i.e. staff in local TISIs, to train and advise SMEs on various topics, which include quality compliance & standards ...
SMEs in Tanzania typically face challenges in ensuring that their products meet international quality and packaging standards needed not only access export markets but also lucrative local supermarket chains. In 2016 ...
Due to the value-addition training for honey conducted in Singida and Morogoro in 2015 and 2016 respectively, at least 25 enterprises in Tanzania are now using honey to produce value-added products ...
Enhancing SMEs’ access to trade information and competitive intelligence ITC specifically designed the competitive intelligence component for the TISIs and their representatives were broadly satisfied with what it helped them accomplish. For example ...
The project trained SIDO credit officers from 21 regions of Tanzania in improving ways of processing and appraising loans. One of SIDO’s core activities is provision of micro credit to SMEs ...
Strengthening managerial and operational capacities of TISIs: Key achievements recorded in Kenya include the continuous implementation and application of skills developed by staff within the EPC teams ...
The project provided TISIs and associations (THC, AMAGRO and TASPA /SIDO) in the three sectors (honey, mango and spices) with coaching and tools to advocate on behalf of business interests and ...
A: Through Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings organized by ITC in the United Arab Emirates in February 2016, Kenyan enterprises generated sales of up to US$ 1 million. The enterprises also made contact with numerous buyers from several countries ...
The project contributed to the establishment of an E-Directory of Women Trading across Borders, resource centre, logistics and business network ...
In 2016, training sessions for 30 enterprises were organized in Morogoro, Tanzania, on packaging, labelling & branding. The project recruited a local expert to develop some brands and labels for six SMEs as a pilot. Since then ...
Sustainable Development Goal 2: The project enhanced the productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, affecting farmers of chilli, mango and spices as well as beekeepers. ...
An innovative approach taken by the project at the start was to quickly develop and agree with respective sector stakeholders on long-term roadmaps for the sectors. The project quickly followed through by implementing ...