Business Plan Training Enhances Trainees’ Skills

Horticulture and small-scale industry groups received training from World Vision Timor-Leste (WVTL) on how to create business plans to enable their businesses to grow and develop. 

WVTL conducted a three-day training on how to create a business plan, including the implementation of trade and market surveys for horticulture and small-scale industry groups currently producing virgin coconut oil, crackers and vegetables in Aileu and Baucau. The three-day training took place at Joao Paulo II Hall, Comoro, Dili, between 9 and 11 January 2017.

As well as learning how to create a business plan, the group also had the opportunity to visit supermarkets currently stocking their products including Kmanek, Wfour, Lita Store and Leader. 

WVTL Agriculture and Food Security Specialist, Roni Pati Tpoi, said the training is very helpful for participants as implementing their own business plans in future will support innovation in their businesses, create efficiencies and maximise potential revenue.

"Progressively, trade is always changing and competition is increasing so providing business plan training helps business owners anticipate potential future challenges," said Agriculture and Food Security Specialists, Tpoi.

World Vision Timor-Leste’s Agriculture and Food Security Specialist, Roni Pati Tpoi, teaches participants how to develop business plans in order to maximise potential revenue. (Photo by Jaime dos Reis/World Vision)

The training has helped participants better understand the competition for agricultural products in both traditional markets and supermarkets, as well as improved their knowledge of price competition, customer needs and how to identify potential business risks.

Training participant Bendita da Silva, head of the Baucau Haburas small-scale industry group, which is also involved in savings and loans activities, shared “The training provided us with skills and knowledge on business strategies to help us develop sustainable businesses.”

Bendita da Silva (third from left) found the business planning training beneficial. (Photo by Jaime dos Reis/World Vision)

WVTL will provide further training to help participants improve their skills in business record keeping.

The Economic Development Programme is funded by the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) under the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).