Ten participants from the Solomon Islands took part in the Pacific Agri-Innovate Workshop and Pitching event on 22- 23 October 2024.

The workshop and the pitching were held at the HCC Youth Hub Multipurpose Hall in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Chief Guest at the event was the Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry, Labour, and Immigration (MCILI), Mr. Riley Mesepitu.

Mr. Deepak Prasad, Business Services Manager for Fiji at Business Link Pacific (BLP) commended the participants for their dedication to the competition and for successfully completing the bootcamp.

On the first day, the participants showcased their products, allowing attendees to explore a variety of innovative solutions and ideas.

The workshop sessions covered essential topics such as business and financial literacy, the critical role of agribusiness in the agricultural sector, access to finance, banking regulations, and the roles and responsibilities of financial institutions.

On the second day, the participants took part in the pitching competition and the three winners were announced:

• Susan Tim – Malo Kitchen
• Max Lazarus – MNEM investment
• Shane Tutua- SolAgro Products

The winners will participate in the 2024 Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum, taking place from 5-8 November in Nadi. There, they will have the opportunity to present their businesses and showcase their products. In addition, each winner will receive a prize of $1,000 USD at the forum.

This competition was part of the Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems (STODAS) in Fiji, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The initiative is proudly supported by Business Assistance Fiji (BAF).

The competition’s primary goal was to strengthen domestic agricultural production and consumption by promoting the transformation of agrifood systems into more resilient and sustainable models.