Cargills ‘Village to Home’ programme empowers rural entrepreneurs

Cargills recently hosted the fourth annual Village to Home training programme at its Head Office premises, bringing together 58 small business owners, including participants from the Northern Province.
The session, guided by senior officials from Cargills, covered essential topics such as quality assurance, food regulations, packaging and labelling, and strategies for listing products in modern trade. Participants also gained insights into sustainable business practices, while guidance on accessing financial products was provided by Cargills Bank, equipping them with practical tools to grow their businesses.
Entrepreneurs who have grown through the Village to Home initiative shared their success stories, highlighting how they expanded from serving local communities to entering export markets, offering inspiration and practical insights to fellow SMEs in attendance. 
The session not only imparted invaluable expertise but also fostered meaningful connections between SMEs and key stakeholders, enabling direct engagement with Cargills representatives and bank officials. Launched in 2020, the Village to Home programme was designed to support small local businesses that were severely impacted by the Covid pandemic and faced challenges in accessing markets. Over the years, it has brought a diverse group of entrepreneurs to market, including female entrepreneurs, youth-led businesses, and individuals with special abilities. Although the pandemic has subsided, Cargills has remained committed to empowering local entrepreneurs through this initiative, directly linking them to consumers, as reflected in the programme’s name, ‘Cargills Village to Home’.