Solution

Farrelly & Mitchell were engaged to provide tailored virtual training and technical support to ten partner SMEs with a view to supporting greater participation in innovative financing for the cocoa processing sector.

Five virtual training sessions were delivered, in adherence to COVID-19 protocols, to selected representatives of the ten partner SMEs. The materials covered included financial management, raising funds using innovative financial instruments.

The training course also included understanding of equity and debt sources of funding, hedging and derivatives instruments and governance and market acquisition strategies.

Results

The delivered service succeeded in building SME capacity on the usage of innovative financing instruments.

The support provided to SMEs has empowered their access to finance and investment to increase their value and volume of trade in cocoa derivatives to UK and EU markets.