Private sector helps dairywomen to develop their business activities

Branding and effective presentation in the online space, especially in social networks, is an essential component of modern business success. However, women entrepreneurs, who are engaged in relatively small business activities, are often unable to allocate adequate resources for the realization of this important but expensive process. That is why appropriate support can play a special role in increasing product sales and in the development of entrepreneurship in general.

This topical issue was highlighted once again at a training event conducted by the representatives of the PR and marketing communications company Gepra on 8 and 9 March in Zugdidi, for dairywomen participating in Farmer Field Schools on the topic of branding and communications.

Since 2017, Gepra has been a signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles of the United Nations, and the training for dairywomen was part of its support of these principles. After the meeting, the company’s consultants offered branding assistance to the participants of Farmer Field Schools and, in the months that followed, created logos and visual materials for use on social networks to promote the products of five dairywomen. Before starting the work, the Gepra representatives received detailed product information from the women and heard about each entrepreneur’s story, which was finally reflected in the modern logos tailored to the specific entrepreneurs.

“Today, people often look for information on social networks to buy products, and they attach a lot of importance to visuals,” says Tako Varamashvili, Gepra’s corporate responsibility manager. “At such times, it is crucial for dairywomen to have their own online platforms for their products. The first steps have already been taken. We are sure that their ventures will continue successfully [and that the] branding created on the basis of interesting stories will help them. And we will be fans and supporters of these women in the future as well.”

Farmer Field Schools in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, with the support of UN Women and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, have been operational since 2021. The participants learn how to make Italian cheese, and within the course organized by the training centre of Liberty Bank, they get to know the principles of entrepreneurship, leadership and business administration. In addition, the training raises their awareness about women’s rights and domestic violence. Shorena Shonia is one of these participants - a 48-year-old farmer from the village of Pakhulani in Tsalenjikha Municipality who, after participating in the project, started producing the Italian cheese caciotta along with kashkaval and Georgian cheese. She now presents her own products under the branding created by Gepra.

“This logo, name and visual material will help me to better introduce my work to customers [in order] to increase their number, not just online - also to better present my clean and natural products at various events,” says Shorena.

The Farmer Field Schools are part of the project “Promoting the Economic Empowerment of Women Farmers by Supporting Dairy Production through Farmer Field School (FFS) Approaches”, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.