THE Ministry of Youth and Sports, in partnership with the National Centre for Small and Micro Enterprise Development (NCSMED), has trained more than 30 youths in the district of Ravitaki in Kadavu on Competency-based Economies through the formation of Entrepreneurs (CEFE) Business training.
Held at Wailevu Village, the training was designed to ensure youths would improve their entrepreneurial performance through guided self-analysis, stimulating enterprising behaviour, and build business competencies.
Ministry’s youth administrator for Kadavu John Tamani said each youth trained had some form of business enterprise running through their yaqona farms and the sale of fisheries but did not have formal business training.
“This workshop is actually to identify the participants’ strengths and weaknesses with the most viable project ideas where they are trained to prepare a business plan – involving the four elements of business – marketing, production, organisation management and financial plan,” Mr Tamani was quoted saying in a Government statement.
Ravitaki district representative Akuila Dranivotua expressed gratitude to the Government on behalf of the youths for addressing rural youth needs such as this training at Ravitaki.
“We would like to thank Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports for hearing and attending to our requests. We had requested this training in our Bose ni Yasana (provincial council meeting) and are happy that it has been implemented,” Mr Dranivotua said.
Kadavu Island, with an area of 411 square kilometres, is home to some of the most productive yaqona farmers in the country with the price hike after Tropical Cyclone Winston providing incentives for youths to venture into the business.
Yaqona and dalo continue to be the mainstay of the island’s economy.
