€6.3m EU, UNIDO WACOMP project impacts over 48,000 SMEs

By Rashidatu IBRAHIM

 The West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP), implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and funded by the European Union (EU), has concluded in Ghana – benefitting 48,849 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The project continuously improved participants’ – including some 31,000 women-owned businesses – competitiveness to access national and international markets over the period of implementation.

With a budget of €6,350,000, the initiative aimed to improve competitiveness of the cassava, mango, pineapple, cosmetics and personal care products value chains.

Using UNIDO’s 5 Cs for competitiveness – coordinate, compete, conform, connect and credit – WACOMP improved production, quality compliance, competitiveness and market access for SMEs in the cosmetics, personal care, cassava and fruit sectors.

This approach ensured a steady enhancement of productivity, sustainable and inclusive job creation, increased income for the final beneficiaries and laid a sound and efficient Quality Infrastructure System in Ghana.

Delivering opening remarks at the project’s closing ceremony in Accra, Irchad Razaaly – EU Ambassador to Ghana – intimated that the WACOMP project is proof that investment in the SME sector has far-reaching benefits for stakeholders.

“WACOMP will forever stand as proof that investment in SMEs, agro-business and private sector development is a win for the local entrepreneurs, for government and the people of Ghana, as well as for our partnership with Ghana.

WACOMP has helped Ghana to put its best foot forward when it comes to products that meet international standards and regulations.”

With the primary objective of WACOMP being to strengthen the competitiveness of West African products and enhance ECOWAS countries’ integration into the regional and international trading system, Mr. Razaaly maintained that the project has laid a solid foundation for continued growth and prosperity in the region.

“WACOMP aimed to enhance value-addition and create conditions that increase the access of Ghanaian businesses to regional and international markets.

From ensuring sustainable and green manufacturing practices to awarding matching grants, the EU left no stone unturned in its quest to support Ghana’s agribusiness sector.

By promoting sustainable development, fostering a culture of innovation and enhancing the business environment, we have laid a solid foundation for continued growth and prosperity in the region,” the EU Ambassador stated.

In a media interview on the  closing ceremony’s sidelines, Dr. Charles Sackey – Chief Technical Advisor of the WACOMP project – elaborated some key achievement the project has chalked up by supporting the SMEs

“So far, we connected a number of these SMEs to the international market. If we look at our fruits cluster, we have connected them to other markets in terms of value addition – dry fruits going into Europe and the American market.

If you also look at cosmetics, we have supported five of our companies to be compliant with what we call the Product Information File (PIF) – which gives them access to export products into the EU market. On the Domestic markets, we have also supported these SMEs to register about 230 products with the Food and Drugs Authority.”

The project has seen to the development and promotion of 16 new standards to enhance the quality and consumer protection of cosmetics and personal care, cassava products both in and outside Ghana.

Furthermore, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) Cosmetics Laboratory and Food and Drugs Authority Cosmetics Laboratory are now accredited for ISO 17025, allowing Ghanaian products to be exported with the required certifications.

WACOMP has also developed Sector Export Marketing Plans of the three target value chains and worked closely with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority to promote Ghanaian SMEs in the international market.

More than 500 market linkages have been established and Ghanaian SMEs are now present in the digital market and exporting regularly. The project also ensured that more than 500 SMEs could be linked to financial institutions to access appropriate and affordable credit schemes for a value beyond GH¢4million.

UNIDO Project Manager Ebe Muschialli further explained the team’s comprehensive approach employed for the project, touting excellent results achieved due to innovative approaches and partnerships that saw to the project’s success.

“We all agreed that a very comprehensive approach was needed. An approach capable of tackling the immediate and long-term needs of SMEs: such as how to enhance production, how to ensure product differentiation and quality compliance, how to be efficient in market penetration and, last but not least, how to access credit.

“In parallel, we aimed at an approach focused on enhancing the capacity of Ghanaian institutions to ensure professional and continuous support for SMEs; and we explored how to improve the services offered to SMEs in terms of testing, certification and compliancy as well as market prospecting and promoting quality products made in Ghana,” she added.

Highlighting a major challenge that SMEs face, Patrick Yaw Nimo – Chief Director-Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) noted: “Many of the Ghanaian enterprises struggling to be competitive in global markets, and lacking guidance for the implementation of processes and market standard requirements, have improved their capacities to produce products that are fit for purpose and in line with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and market requirements”.

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