Building on the Lessons Learnt form the Support Given to FOs in the Pacific Islands, 19-21 October 2011

FAO will soon host a consolidation workshop on the AAACP support provided to the Farmers Organizations in the Pacific Islands. The event will take place from 19-21 October 2011 in Nadi, Fiji.

Under the programme the assistance consisted in supporting the strategic prioritization of activities that contribute to more effective business relationships between smallholder supplier groups and small, medium or large agribusinesses.

To achieve its objetives, the workshop will be structured as follows:

1. An analysis of the various types of farmers organizations and their performance in the various Pacific Islands;

2. Representatives from FOs presenting findings from their national programme activities;

3. An analysis of the key lessons learnt from the works carried out in the national activities;

4. An analysis of participant questionnaires which will allow them to reflect on the strengths and deficiencies in their organization and its business model;

5. A determination of the critical success factors and business principles required for a successful self-sustaining farmer organization;

6. Representatives from farmer organizations designing strategies fro their organizations to be more effective by building on their strengths and addressing their identified deficiencies;

7. Representatives from farmer organizations designing an action plan, with an indicative costing, to implement their implement their plan and to identify the appropriate role for development and private sector partners.

For more information, please contact Mr Heiko Bammann Heiko [dot] Bammann [at] fao [dot] org