CBTA / REVISING SIMPLIFIED TRADE REGIME (STR), ROLLING OUT THE EXPORT CAPACITY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

This project is to fund the revision of the STR programme, conduct export capacity and entrepreneurship skills trainings and create a national secretariat management. -The Trade Information Desks (TID's) in the borders between Zambia Zimbabwe and Zambia Malawi are very important to cross border trading or intra-regional trade integration by our micro, small and medium cross border traders (SME's). This programme adds value to the cross border traders by providing easy, efficient and effective clearing of goods at the borders whenever t exporting or importing of the goods. This will reduce delayment/time spent at the borders, the cost of doing business and it will maximize profits to small scale cross border traders. - The export capacity and entrepreneurship training help small scale cross border traders understand the principals in doing business, be able to export their products to other markets outside the regions. - The secretariat will enable efficiency and effective operation of the association, as it will have professionals to run the programmes. Beneficiaries include CBTA membership, over 37,000 countrywide, and more than that across the regional, who are doing cross border trade, and there able to supply food where there is deficit from where there is surplus. This makes it easier for consumers to have variety of products to buy and consume. Project Objectives: 1. To uplift the standard of small scale traders from informal to entrepreneurs 2. To reduce the poverty level among the grass roots, as cross border traders are able to get food from where there is surplus to where there is deficit. 3. To promote women and youth empowerment. 4. To develop entrepreneurship skills among members Expected Project Results: 1. Facilitation of trade among small scale traders in COMESA, SADC, and EAC countries especially Zambia Zimbabwe and Malawi. 2. 4 workshops are held in four different centers 3. Capacity building for 1600 members 4. About 9600 traders pass through TIDs and access STRs 5. Smooth increased volume of listed goods of import and export 6. Improved statistics 7. 1600 CBTA members departed with knowledge of entrepreneurship and export procedure