THE Minister for Commerce, Industry, Labour, and Immigration, Hon. Harry Kuma yesterday launched the inaugural Agri-Busines Plan Competition 2024 in Honiara.
The Agri-Innovate initiative was conceived to inspire and cultivate the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst youths and agri-business professionals.
The competition aims to provide a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to demonstrate their innovative business plans that address critical issues in Agriculture. These could include improving crop yields, enhancing supply chain efficiency, or introducing sustainable practices that can propel the Agriculture sector forward.
This project aims to improve domestic food production and consumption towards reducing import dependence and building self-reliance to ensure sustainable food and nutrition security.
The Competition is an initiative under the Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agri-food Systems (STODAS) in Fiji, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands.
STODAS is a new FAO project funded by the European Union Delegation (EUD) with EUR 10 million and is aimed at improving domestic agricultural production and consumption through a resilient and sustainable agri-food system transformation.
Creating an enabling policy environment that promotes agri-food system transformation, and enhancing domestic crop and livestock production through the application of improved technologies and processes are two key strategies under this project.
Another complementary and innovative strategy under the project is promoting agribusiness innovation and enterprise in the region which is expected to enhance the scaling and sustainability of successful improved technologies and processes.
Business Assistance Fiji- a non-profit Organisation is taking the lead in coordinating the competition in these three countries.
Minister Kumar congratulated the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture and Live Stock for partnering with esteemed Agricultural professionals, business leaders, and academic institutions to ensure that competitors receive the mentorship and support they need to refine their ideas.
“This collaborative approach will not only enhance the quality of submissions but also build a robust network that our young innovators can tap into as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys,” Minister Kuma said.
In addition to showcasing innovation, the competition aims to foster a culture of entrepreneurship that values creativity, resilience, and sustainability.
Through this competition, participants will not only compete for prizes but also gain invaluable experience in business planning and networking.
Minister Kuma urged existing agri-business organisations and individuals to embrace this opportunity to turn their ideas into actionable plans.
