Latin America and The Caribbean
ACP: Strengthening Productive Capabilities and Value Chain Alliances
Contact
First name
Matias
Last name
Urrutigoity
Email
urrutigoity@intracen.org
Body
Putting the value back in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries value chains.
Specialty coffee barista in Ethiopia
We at ITC know that smallholder farmers and small firms are the foundation of sustainable food systems in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. Yet many lack the opportunities to diversify, add value and compete in domestic, regional and global markets.
Through our Alliances for Action approach, we are offering micro-level interventions through the ACP Business-Friendly Programme, promoting inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chains in areas such as coffee, cocoa, cotton, and kava.
Adding value to products and promoting local consumption can help create economies of scale and empower agribusiness communities, allowing farmers and their families to thrive.
Our project draws on a holistic approach, working both at the farm level and on building artisan skills like chocolate-making, coffee roasting and even barista techniques. Building up these sustainable production practices will help farmers absorb economic shocks as well as help attract investments.
I’m elated to build on our knowledge and skills in coffee through this cupping and roasting training, especially in our beautiful and resourceful continent. Thank you for welcoming me, I look forward to taking Liberica coffee forward.
I’m elated to build on our knowledge and skills in coffee through this cupping and roasting training, especially in our beautiful and resourceful continent. Thank you for welcoming me, I look forward to taking Liberica coffee forward.
Sangai Brisbine
Brisco Natural Coffee, Liberia
Recipients
Implementing partners
Sustainable Development Goals
This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
<p>In 2018, the ACP Secretariat, the EC, together with ITC, UNIDO and the World Bank finalized the Joint Proposal for a five-year Program (hereafter the ‘Program’) aiming at (1) adopting and implementing business-friendly and inclusive national policies and legal frameworks, and (2) strengthening productive, processing, promoting and marketing capabilities and value chains. The three agencies will respectively deliver micro-, meso-, and macro-level activities, and will ensure the appropriate level of coordination and synergies aiming to deliver integrated solutions to ACP countries. </p><p align="JUSTIFY" dir="LTR">The program includes country-level interventions, as well as Rapid Response and Regional Engagement windows for each of the three pillars. The Rapid Response window aims at swiftly responding to emerging beneficiary needs given emerging demands in the thematic areas of the Program; the Regional Engagement window will primarily aim to promote knowledge exchange, best practices and experience capture and sharing to contribute to two fundamental objectives. </p>
Type
Project
Open data portal link
Funding partners
Date
-
External ID
B807
Highlighted
On
Central America: Linking women business enterprises (WBEs) with the global gifts and home decoration market
Contact
First name
Beatriz
Last name
Rodriguez Perez
Email
brodriguez@intracen.org
Body
Supporting women entrepreneurs through e-commerce
The demand for handicrafts has grown exponentially in recent years, especially in Europe and the United States, with international e-commerce opening an important market opportunity for Central American women artisans.
Yet many women lacked the digital skills to take full advantage of online sales. ITC’s ecomConnect team stepped in with trainers and coaches to help 200 small businesses and 24 local trade and design support institutions. Participants learned about product design and export management for online sales. From 2018-2021, ITC helped in the development of 580 new on-trend handicraft products for the international market.
Women producing handmade accessories in Guatemala to be sold online?
Misle Films
ITC also organized several tailored e-labs for the most qualified businesses and launched an E-commerce Leadership Programme offering peer-to-peer e-commerce coaching.
The project helped businesswomen open successful commercial websites, improve shipping times, and track sales metrics. From 2017-2021, businesses assisted by ITC generated more than $USD 86,000 in revenue, 125 companies received more than 2,400 orders online from 21 markets, and created and optimized 119 websites and stores on Etsy, eBay and Novica.
By leveraging targeted online campaigns and continuously tracking sales metrics, I was able to successfully promote my brand abroad, especially in the United States.
By leveraging targeted online campaigns and continuously tracking sales metrics, I was able to successfully promote my brand abroad, especially in the United States.
Soledad Borel?
Founder of Soledad Art Jewelry, Costa Rica?
Jewelry
Jewelry
Thanks to the partnership with DHL, I was able to reduce my shipping time from 3 to 4 weeks to 3 to 4 days, without changing my pricing. DHL's preferential shipping rates have also allowed me to offer free shipping to my customers, and we have since sent several products to Houston, Texas, which was previously an issue due to shipping. With ITC's support, I can now send customers my products quickly and securely.
Thanks to the partnership with DHL, I was able to reduce my shipping time from 3 to 4 weeks to 3 to 4 days, without changing my pricing. DHL's preferential shipping rates have also allowed me to offer free shipping to my customers, and we have since sent several products to Houston, Texas, which was previously an issue due to shipping. With ITC's support, I can now send customers my products quickly and securely.
Elena San Martín?
Founder of Nicteel Ceramics, Honduras?
Ceramics
Ceramics
Supporting someone at a distance is not easy. Our collaboration has been an adventure, and dedication and motivation have been key. The tutor learns as much as the student. Undoubtedly, I would repeat the mentoring experience.
Supporting someone at a distance is not easy. Our collaboration has been an adventure, and dedication and motivation have been key. The tutor learns as much as the student. Undoubtedly, I would repeat the mentoring experience.
Lucreacia de González?
Founder of Casa Cotzal, Guatemala?
Handmade articles
Handmade articles
That a team of professionals with such dedication helped me make my own website is the best gift that I could have received. I couldn't have done it alone. Having been prepared to sell online in 2020 has made sales possible since the beginning of the pandemic. And it continues to be like that.
That a team of professionals with such dedication helped me make my own website is the best gift that I could have received. I couldn't have done it alone. Having been prepared to sell online in 2020 has made sales possible since the beginning of the pandemic. And it continues to be like that.
Rebeca Zamora?
Founder of Gato Negro, Costa Rica?
Jewelry
Jewelry
I am very excited to be able to pass on experience and knowledge to a motivated colleague. It would be great to replicate the E-commerce Leadership Programme at a wider scale, including more mentees. I really like to see how my student responds to the advice I give her.
I am very excited to be able to pass on experience and knowledge to a motivated colleague. It would be great to replicate the E-commerce Leadership Programme at a wider scale, including more mentees. I really like to see how my student responds to the advice I give her.
Anna Sophia Reyes?
Founder of Achiote, Guatemala?
Food company
Food company
This project has managed to drastically change the vision of businesswomen and their way of doing business. Today, they are businesswomen with a more open mind, more confident of their abilities and much more motivated to be the pioneers in Nicaragua in entering the world of electronic commerce.
This project has managed to drastically change the vision of businesswomen and their way of doing business. Today, they are businesswomen with a more open mind, more confident of their abilities and much more motivated to be the pioneers in Nicaragua in entering the world of electronic commerce.
Yudyth Cerda?
Business Intelligent Specialist at Association of Producers and Exporters of Nicaragua (APEN)?
Import-Export
Import-Export
Women & E-commerce
07 March 2022
Central America: Women & E-commerce
07 March 2022
Central America: Women & E-commerce
23 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Leadership Programme
23 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Leadership Programme
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on social media
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on social media
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling through websites
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling through websites
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on eBay
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on eBay
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on Etsy
07 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on Etsy
23 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on Novica
23 March 2022
ecomConnect for Central America - Women & E-commerce - Selling on Novica
23 March 2022
Rengifo - Women led e-commerce businesses in El Salvador
23 March 2022
Rengifo - Women led e-commerce businesses in El Salvador
23 March 2022
Estilo Quetzal - Women-led e-commerce businesses in Guatemala
23 March 2022
Estilo Quetzal - Women-led e-commerce businesses in Guatemala
23 March 2022
Ixoqi - Women led e-commerce businesses in Guatemala
23 March 2022
Ixoqi - Women led e-commerce businesses in Guatemala
23 March 2022
Ticas Viajeras - Women led e-commerce businesses in Costa Rica
23 March 2022
Ticas Viajeras - Women led e-commerce businesses in Costa Rica
Artisanal handbags by Rengifo, a women-led business in El Salvador?
Misle Films?
Handmade accessories and home-décor by Algodones Mayas in Guatemala?
Misle Films
Sustainably produced home-décor from Casa de los Gigantes in Guatemala?
Misle Films?
Piel y Arte’s artisan creating sustainable leather bags in Nicaragua?
Misle Films?
Founders of home-décor business Serafines in Nicaragua?
Misle Films?
Artisans working at By Karula in El Salvador creating eco-friendly earrings?
Misle Films?
Founder of Liz Sirena, a handmade jewelry business in Panama?
Misle Films?
Guatemalan artisan
Misle Films?
Recipients
Implementing partners
Sustainable Development Goals
This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
<p><strong>Central America: Women and E-commerce</strong></p><p>The project Linking Central American Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) with the Global Gifts and Home Decoration Market aims to improve the export performance of women-led-enterprises from Central America to sell online.</p><p>The project beneficiaries are women-led-companies involved in the sale and export of handicrafts for the gift and home decoration industries from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panamá.</p><p>The project funded by the European Union (EU) has been implemented between 2018 and 2021 by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in collaboration with the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA) and in partnership with national organizations.</p><p>To achieve its objective, the project has produced five immediate results as follows:</p><ul><li>WBEs have increased their export business management skills for online commercialization.</li><li>WBEs’ products and services have exhibit enhanced design, quality and compliance with market trends and customers’ demands</li><li>WBEs have developed high quality digital and promotional material.</li><li>WBEs have established connections with business partners through increased presence on the Web</li></ul><p>WBEs have acquired the technical know-how to fulfil electronic buyers’ orders.</p>
Type
Project
Open data portal link
Social media
Facebook
Image
Funding partners
Date
-
External ID
A314
Highlighted
On
Latin America and The Caribbean
Body
ITC supports interregional trade in Latin American and Caribbean countries as the most conducive to productive and export diversification. Investment in trade facilitation, sustainable production and digitalisation of commerce will propel the region forward and contribute to gender equality. ITC’s programmes specifically foster the creation of quality employment for women and female-led enterprise in international trade in the region.
Country (for relations)
Region (for relations)
Header color
Cyan
Import hash
1401305212
External ID
RLA