Supporting Innovative Agribusiness Entrepreneurs in Guyana

By -

 

The Guyana Innovation Prize Start-up Bootcamp provides farmers with training in the Lean Start-up Method for agribusiness and business development, helping them develop business skills in addition to their high-level farming experiences. A F2F volunteer was requested by the Guyana Economic Development Trust to support the Bootcamp’s instructors alongside staff from the School of Business and Entrepreneurship (SEBI) at the University of Guyana to help participants develop an agri-business plan/model. 

The chosen volunteer was Gaston Tsompo, who holds a BS in Economic and Quantitative Techniques, an MBA, and is currently a candidate for a Ph.D. in Business Administration Project Management. He works for a company that works towards increased US trade relations in Africa, and before that worked for an NGO in partnership with stakeholders in Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean where he prepared business plans utilizing Logical Framework tools. 

Gaston met virtually with each of the ten fellows in the Guyana Innovation Prize cohort and provided guidance on the preparation of their business models and commercialization plans, based on their research. At the end of the assignment, nine participants had completed the first draft of their agri-business plans and most of the participants had successfully applied Lean Start-up Methodology changes to improve their business concept and value proposition.


Gaston really enjoyed his assignment: “In Guyana, as elsewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean, start-up entrepreneurs are the greatest risk for investors and financial service providers and therefore are least likely to receive the early financing needed to succeed in their businesses. This scenario limits the number of entrepreneurs entering the market. Therefore, it is important to increase the success rate of start-ups by mentoring them, and the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT) does just that. I participated in the initial steps, in the incubator program. 

The GEDT has worked one-on-one with startups for two decades, so they recognize that it is vital for entrepreneurs to be trained in business. I think this is what makes the Trust and the Innovation Prize so special. This assignment affected me personally and professionally due to the nature and number of persons involved. Everyone worked to tackle economic growth constraints and boost Guyana’s economic development.”



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Better Marketing and Communications to Showcase the Work of our Hosts in Colombia

By -
Image
Salva Terra Foundation has focused on supporting vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. They work with impoverished populations and victims of violence in Medellin and aim to promote farming and develop local skills to work in the agricultural industry in an ecological manner. This process of bringing together concepts such as social impact, sustainable development, environmental protection, and food security requires excellent outreach and promotion. Therefore, they requested a F2F volunteer to help them develop a communication and marketing plan. The chosen volunteer for this assignment was Dr. Sindy Chapa. She has a B.A. in Mass Media Communications, with a Minor in Television and Art Design, an MBA, and Ph.D. in International Business/Marketing. She is the Director and Associate Professor at the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University and has won several communications awards. Dr. Chapa decided to use Salva Terra as one of the case ...
Read more

Digital Marketing in Colombia

By -
Image
Digital Marketing is one way that entrepreneurs and producers across the globe can reach new markets and increase sales. But what is digital marketing and how can a small Colombian business use it to maximize the number of people who come across its brand? These are the questions that Zen Naturals was asking itself. Zen Naturals is a natural cosmetic manufacturing company based in Cali, Colombia. Zen Naturals develops natural cosmetics made from exotic ingredients from Colombia’s outstanding biodiversity. Through ethical manufacturing and fair trade practices, they are also taking a leadership role in re-investing in the communities that grow the ingredients used in their products. Currently, Zen Naturals supports more than 95 Colombian quinoa farming communities through Fair-Trade Practices and technical assistance on their production. Zen Naturals is preparing to launch their quinoa facial care products in Whole Foods Markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in 2017....
Read more

Supporting Anti-Child Labor Projects in Ecuador and Panama

By -
Image
EducaFuturo is a program currently being implemented by Partners of the Americas in Ecuador and Panama. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), EducaFuturo seeks to combat child labor in both countries through educational programs, vocational training, and livelihood services. F2F has partnered with EducaFuturo on numerous occasions over the past 5 years, sending 7 volunteers to support their efforts in improving the educational outcomes of youth involved in child labor, while also increasing the income opportunities of households to reduce reliance on child labor. Volunteers have provided training on a range of topics, including sustainable production practices, processing, business management, and marketing. In January 2016, F2F volunteer Carmen Pacheco-Borden traveled to Panama to work with native Ngabe-Bugle women’s groups in the tomato farming communities of Hato Chami and Boca de Monte to make value-added products from their harvests and consequently increase their hous...
Read more