AIM-N Successfully Conducted Agricultural Value Chain Development in Western Province

The AIM-N Project, through Component 2 – Inclusive Partnerships for Market Access, has successfully completed a three-day Stakeholder and Value Chain Development Workshop in Gizo, Western Province, from 22 to 24 September 2026.

The workshop brought together provincial stakeholders, government representatives, farmers, private-sector representatives and other relevant partners to strengthen understanding of the AIM-N Project, establish provincial coordination arrangements and identify agricultural value chains with potential for market development, value addition and inclusive partnerships.

A major achievement of the workshop was the establishment and selection of the Western Province Provincial Coordination Committee, providing an important foundation for coordination and stakeholder engagement during AIM-N implementation in the province.

Participants explored how agricultural products move from production through aggregation, transportation, processing and marketing to final consumers. The discussions provided an opportunity for participants to share practical knowledge about agricultural production, market opportunities and challenges across Western Province.

Five priority value chains were identified for further assessment under Component 2: coconut, cocoa, cassava, poultry and piggery.

The selection was informed by participants’ knowledge of existing production, market potential, opportunities for value addition, farmer participation and opportunities to strengthen linkages between producers and markets.

Farmers welcomed the focus on agricultural commodities and value addition, noting the relevance of the workshop to existing community and private-sector initiatives.

They said the workshop has helped them better understand the different commodities and the opportunities that exist for value addition in Western Province.

AMIN Project Implementing Unit for Western Province Inclusive Project Young Professional Officer Joseph Tula highlighted the importance of the workshop for strengthening collaboration and establishing a foundation for future activities.

“Two important achievements from this workshop are the establishment of the Western Province Provincial Coordination Committee and the identification of five priority value chains with potential for further development.”

He added that further assessment would be necessary to understand the different actors and challenges within each value chain.

“We now need to look more closely at the actors involved, from farmers and producer groups through to traders, aggregators, processors and final buyers. We also need to identify the bottlenecks and opportunities that can help improve market access, value addition and partnerships,” he said.

The workshop demonstrated strong stakeholder interest in strengthening agricultural markets, improving value addition and developing stronger linkages between farmers, producer groups and private-sector actors.

The next phase of AIM-N Component 2 will focus on detailed market and value-chain assessments, buyer and MSME mapping, producer-group identification, assessment of value-addition opportunities and the development of potential 4P partnerships.

The workshop marks an important step towards practical market linkage and inclusive partnership development, while providing a foundation for continued collaboration among stakeholders to support agricultural development in Western Province.

Ends//
MALD/ AIM-N Press Release