Starting in 2007, relations between ADEPME, Agence
de Développement et d’Encadrement des Petites et
Moyennes Enterprises, of Senegal and ITPO Italy were
developed in part through the hosting of an initial
delegate. The portfolio of projects brought over by
the delegate included those of a number of SMEs in
food processing. These enterprises were sensitized
through a UNIDO HQ pilot project and eventually
regrouped into three Consortia (Suñu, Symbiose, and
Terroir), under the continued assistance of ADEPME.
ITPO Italy participated in the launch ceremony for
the Consortia in July 2008, at the invitation of
ADEPME and the Ministry of Industry, and agreed on
the final design of a small ITPO-managed and funded
project to assist the Consortia with training and
capacity-building, as well as with promoting their
goods in the Italian market. To that end, and within
that project, ITPO Italy, with the participation of
UNIDO HQ Clusters and Districts Unit, organised the
study tour described below, in which a number of
Moroccan Consortia staff and experts participated.
This last feature, included as an afterthought,
eventually made an important contribution (as
described by Senegalese participants) to the
training of the Consortia Presidents: not only were
they able to study the world-class Italian
experience but they also benefited from a
South-South opportunity, enabling them to compare
notes with Moroccan consortia, only a few years more
advanced than Senegal.
UNIDO
ITPO Italy organized this study tour for the three
Senegalese Consortia with the collaboration of
ADEPME and UNIDO HQ. The 10-day study tour, held at
ITPO Office between October 15 and 18, (training at
ITPO Italy) and in Central and Northern Italy from
20th to 25th October, focused on Export Consortia
development and management. It aimed to improve the
Senegalese Consortia’s knowledge of consortium
management and to identify channels of distribution
and potential commercial partners in Italy.
The promotion aspect of the tour included business
meetings with Italian companies and consortia, as
well as with representatives of Commercio
Alternativo, FairTrade Italy, Federexport Piemonte,
CNA Turin, and the Slow Food authorities. Thus, the
Senegalese participants were able to benefit from
information, experiences, and best practice
currently in force among Italian consortia and
enterprises.
In addition to the training meetings on UNIDO ITPO
Italy premises, conducted jointly with UNIDO HQ
staff, a market study was commissioned to identify
opportunities for Senegalese products in the Italian
market, as well as distribution channels, and to
provide the visitors copies of the main European
quality and hygiene regulations. The presidents of
Senegalese Consortia also visited the Salone del
Gusto Fair in Turin, the main event of the Slow Food
Movement in Italy.
ITPO Italy further hosted Mr. Abdoulaye Faye, a
Delegate of ADEPME, who accompanied the study tour
and remains linked to the promotion aspects of the
program. Further technical assistance is being
extended to the firms making-up the three consortia
through the ongoing ITPO Italy project, in
collaboration with ADEPME. First conceived for the
Presidents of the Senegalese export consortia alone,
the training event/study tour was then extended to
include directors and consultants of several
Moroccan export consortia, created some years ago
through the same UNIDO programme on Export Consortia
development in Morocco.
(From the Back-to-Office report of one of the
participants.)
« En conclusion nous pouvons qualifier ce voyage
d’études de très instructif et précieux. Il a été
une ouverture vers le monde extérieur, qui plus est,
en avance du point de vue de la Technologie, de
l’organisation, de l’emballage et de l’expérience
des consortiums. La délégation Sénégalaise a
vraiment bénéficié de l’expérience des consortiums
italiens et même marocains sur le fonctionnement et
l’organisation des consortiums. Nous avons fait des
rencontres intéressantes de personnes qui avaient
envie de partager leur expérience. Les visites
d’entreprises, de consortium nous ont appris
beaucoup sur l’importance de l’hygiène et de la
qualité. Des axes de collaboration se sont dégagés
que nous comptons exploiter au maximum pour
concrétiser le succès de ce voyage d’études.»
Summary translation : Study tour instructive and
precious. Opening to outside world, advanced in
technology, organisation, packaging, and experience
of consortia. Senegalese delegation really benefited
from seeing the experience, Italian and even
Moroccan, of management and organisation of
consortia. Met interesting people who wanted to
share their experience. Company and Consortia visits
taught us a lot on importance of hygiene and quality
concepts. Identified collaboration possibilities we
intend to exploit to draw maximum benefits from,
and ensure success of this study tour.
