The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) has rolled out an interactive skills development programme for businesses and entrepreneurs across Africa’s agri-food value chain through a structured initiative known as Lab Innova for Africa.
The capacity-building initiative is aimed at boosting the growth and competitiveness of African agro-exports in the European market.
The week-long training programme brought together selected African agribusiness owners for an intensive learning experience designed to equip participants with essential technical, managerial, and market-access skills needed to compete effectively within the European Union (EU).
Lab Innova is a specialised training platform for Africa’s agri-food sector, promoted by ITA in partnership with key Italian institutions, including Macfrut—one of Europe’s leading agri-food trade fairs.
In an interview, ITA’s Accra Director, Mr Luigi Puca, explained that the programme was designed to expose participants to the specific export standards and regulatory requirements needed to access the European market.
“Through these trainings, we update African countries on Italy’s economic policies and legal frameworks to enhance their competitiveness and readiness for international trade. It is also a win-win situation because, through information exchange, our small and medium enterprises grow together with their African counterparts,” Mr Puca said.
Overall, the initiative seeks to strengthen the technical and managerial capacity of African agri-food enterprises by providing them with the operational knowledge and skills required to meet EU standards and operate competitively in international markets.
Source: Joy News
