The Netherlands embassy in Ghana is building the capacity of SMEs through programs aimed at improving value addition in Ghana’s exports. 

This was revealed during the presentation of awards to participants of the Dutch Export Academy. 

Dutch ambassador to Ghana, Ron Strikker, says the Dutch embassy is equipping hundreds of SMEs with the needed capacities for value addition. 

“We want these entrepreneurs to take advantage of the European Union (EU) through the export of quality products. 

We want to take them (local entrepreneurs) who are already producing for the local market through a couple of learning phases on exports and to teach them what it means to be export-minded for the European market.” Ron Strikker stated in an interview with JoyBusiness.

In all, 30 entrepreneurs were awarded for partaking of the program. According to the Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, the program forms part of various value-addition interventions the Dutch government has introduced to complement government’s ‘Ghana beyond aid’ agenda. 

The Dutch Export Academy is a program of the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana, implemented by the Ghana Netherlands Business and Culture Council (GNBCC) and MDF West Africa. It is a training program for Ghanaian SMEs who wish to start or improve the export of their products to the Netherlands and the European Union.

The participants are a group of 30 entrepreneurs from various sectors such as agriculture, food processing, design, fashion, and logistics. 

They followed a five-day training program at the Dutch Embassy, provided by professional trainers and many guest speakers from relevant institutes such as Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), EXIM Bank Ghana, Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and Plan Protection and Regulatory Services Department (PPRSD). 

They received training and information on topics such as Export Planning, Export Process and Documentation, Product Packaging and Design, Marketing & Branding, Finance & Investment and more.