Business Consulting Services to be provided to Iloilo Food Producers
Orientation on APFTI's programs led by
its Executive Director Rommel G.
Agustin with the invited food processors.
The Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. [APFTI] forge a partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry - Iloilo in providing business development services to food processors in the city and province of Iloilo.
APFTI is a non-government organization supported by Cord-Aid and the Inter-Church Development Corporation [ICCO], to provide business development services as well as promote fair trade amongst small producers through the Integrated Enterprise Development Program [IEDP] and In-Depth Coaching Project.
DTI-Iloilo Director Diosdado P. Cadena,
Jr. and APFTI Executive Director Romme
l G. Agustin during a meeting to
formalize the partnership at DTI-Iloilo on
June 27, 2006.
In-depth Coaching is a consultative service that offers needs-driven support to partner-producers. Business development services are designed to address the entrepreneurs' requirement and priorities. The consultative service could cover marketing, technical, financial, organizational and management assistance. The IEDP on the other hand, consolidates the strengths of APFTI into a directional, subsidized and evaluative package of assistance to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. These include training, local study mission, market linkages and facilitation, fair trade advisory program and product development.
To date, Panaderia de Iloilo and Sweet'nes Fine Homemade Delicacies have expressed interest in availing the In-depth Coaching Project while ten slots are alloted for the IEDP. An orientation with invited food processors on APFTI's programs was held on June 27, 2006 at the DTI - Iloilo Conference Room.
The collaborative efforts of APFTI and DTI-Iloilo together with the partner-producers will certainly boost the potentials of food processors to improve business and integrate fair trade practices in their operations.