OPSR

Overall Objectives:
Encourage economic diversification and stimulate growth; reduce poverty; create a first class environment for business growth and development; strengthen SMEs and increase their contribution to the national economy; enhance competitiveness of the ICT sector; strengthen linkages among key economic sectors; entrepreneurship development.

The STRIDE project was developed and charged with the mandate to

• Significantly increase the number of new businesses in the constituencies targeted by the project
• Realize a significant increase in the level of goods and services produced and exported (especially non-banana exports)
• Enhance business competitiveness in key export sectors
• Reduce the digital divide among the key sectors of the economy
• Foster sustainable livelihoods through the implementation of integrated social recovery and business development programmes in target areas
• Increase the level of entrepreneurial skills, development and knowledge available to the general populace, and
• Engender a positive cultural shift toward increased savings and investment

Target Groups

The private sector in general; entrepreneurs; exporters; business associations; government trade support agencies; youth; poverty-stricken communities; rural areas; SMEs; priority export sectors; female entrepreneurs; the general population

Beneficiaries
The private sector in general; entrepreneurs; exporters; business associations; government trade support agencies; youth; poverty-stricken communities; rural areas; SMEs; priority export sectors; female entrepreneurs; the general population

Components

STRIDE comprises 8 (eight) key integrated socio-economic components/projects.

These are:

• Implementation of the One Constituency – One Product Project (OCOP)
• Promotion of IT as a platform for business innovation
• Implementation of a National Savings and Investment Knowledge Building Project
• Entrepreneurial Development Thrust
• Improvement of the environment for business growth and development
• Strengthening national trade and investment promotion infrastructure
• Agriculture and Tourism Linkage Project
• Promoting sustainable livelihoods in poverty-stricken areas

Expected Results

Increase in the number of new businesses in rural areas; increase in non-banana exports; increase in employment; improvement in the quality of services to SMEs; industry clusters established; businesses assisted in capacity building; IMS developed and shared among BSOs; CDCCs established; ICT knowledge and usage increased; increased access to entrepreneurial training and or information by general population