As part of efforts to finalize logistics for the launch of a new campaign to assist micro-producers through better branding, the Agriculture Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce convened an initiative to test the judging criteria for the selected local products called “One Village; One Product” campaign. Last week’s activity sought to increase the capacity of selected judges ahead of the campaign’s launch on December 14, 2021.

The One Village, One Product (OVOP) concept is a comprehensive Japanese approach to building the capacity of rural communities while identifying a product that originates within the community, represents its culture, and has the potential to generate economic activity for the community.

The initiative aims to maximize the output of all aspects of small and micro-producers by developing products and branding that meet the standards of local, regional, and international markets.

Project Consultant of the OVOP project Kurt Harris explains the project seeks to fill the gaps which exist in ensuring the successful marketing of the local products.

“What you find happening is that a lot of smalls and micro-producers are able to sustain a livelihood. The challenge they have however is in their product development and sometimes their product branding. Through the OVOP however, what they are able to do is that since it is a global community, that brand becomes recognizable from within but also from outside Saint Lucia where other persons know of OVOP. So because agriculture really has a low entry point for small and micro producers you find that it is generally targeted as a way through which small and micro-producers can enter into the livelihood and help them to grow to become larger producers ultimately.

The project’s pilot phase is currently underway in three communities namely Praslin, Choiseul, and Soufriere. The past several weeks OVOP Project team members have been evaluating the project composition to ascertain whether the formulation would work locally.

With the hosting of last week’s criteria testing event, judges became acquainted with the criteria against which each product will be judged in order to meet OVOP requirements.

“ What we are doing is that we have looked at Praslin and we’ve seen that sea moss is one of the lifeblood products out of Praslin. There are other products but we are testing seamoss. In Choiseul we are testing handicraft and in Soufriere we are testing cocoa , so we are looking at the products made out of seamoss”

While logistics for the official OVOP launch on December 14th, 2021 are being finalized, the Ministry of Agriculture stands ready to assist individuals interested in strengthening their abilities and capacities in the agriculture sector throughout St. Lucia.