The push to enhance cooperatives societies is seen as the way forward to compliment the Governments National Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Policy.
Minster for Commerce and Industry, Wera Mori, said that with just over a decade to reach the Governments target of 500, 000 SME’s by 2030, innovative ideas had to be adopted.
And one of them was to push for cooperative society’s to be boosted.
“You all know that we have a balance of 13 years to 2030 to create 450, 00 SME’s.
“Basically it means we have to be looking at 40, 000 SME’s to meet the target of half a million SME’s by 2030 to create job employment for two million people.
“This is a government policy that must be implemented. And therefor we have to think outside the box and cooperative societies will be the way to go,” said Mori.
The Minister said a submission is before the Government for funding to be made available to the National Development Bank for cooperative societies to apply for finance.
Among guests at the first working meeting to revive run down plantations through the cooperative society, was SME Corporation (SMEC) Managing Director, Steven Malken.
He attended alongside representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), NDB, and Department of Commerce and Industry.
Also present was Acting Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock, Andrew Liliura.