Update: 4:22PM FIJI’S Ministry of Women is currently putting together a catalogue of products made by rural women for marketing purposes.

Minister Mereseini Vuniwaqa revealed this in Parliament this week as preparation already underway for the 2017 Women’s Expo.

In response to a question from Opposition MP Salote Radrodro on the the ability of local women’s group to access international markets for their product, Mrs Vuniwaqa said the main aim of the expo was to connect women to markets.

She said in initiating this, it was obvious there was evidence of lack of marketing of rural women’s products.

She explained there were a lot of women out there who were producing artefacts that could be sold nationally and internationally, but marketing was the issue.

“So, sustainability of this markets, yes, the ministry is currently working very hard at looking at a model that will be sustainable for these women,” Mrs Vuniwaqa said.

“Our expo is, like I said, an annual event, it is once a year, this is the third one and we are already working towards a long-term strategy. We are looking right now at putting together a catalogue first of all, to catalogue the products that are being produced by these women, particularly those that will be represented at the women’s expo.”

Mrs Vuniwaqa said after the expo, they would then market those products first on social media like Facebook being a powerful tool for marketing these days.

“…And of course longer term, we are already speaking with the National Marketing Authority if there is any potential there and also standalone marketing of rural women’s products.

“We have started talks as well with the Centre for Integrated Development for the Asia-Pacific region to look at models in other Asia-Pacific countries that have been seen successful.”