The project aims to create market outlets for agro-based products derived from sustainable conservation
of honeybees and silkmoths by the rural communities in East Africa. The objective is to promote an intra-
African trade for silk and honey based products to create business opportunities among African countries.
Both silk and honey based products have intra-regional trade potential. This was confirmed through
monitoring supply and demand of these products in the region. The main factors limiting the development
of intra-regional trade in East Africa are lack of facilities to process their produce on-site and fragmented
knowledge of existing trade opportunities in both supplies and market needs. ICIPE has developed the
training programme for the rural people to assist them in establishing a central marketplace for their
products. Such opportunities are being translated into business by bringing together potential trading
partners (entrepreneurs) in a buyers and sellers meeting covering one particular products such as honey
or silk or product groups. This has create a template for transacting business and is helping to establish a
marketplace for rural communities. With IFAD¿s support, ICIPE is harnessing a ¿bottom-up¿ approach to
the long term process of developing a regional marketplace opportunities, generate off farm employments
and conserve their resource base. These objectives are also being promoted through on-site training,
workshops and trade fairs. This process is developing a self sustainable revolving fund, empowering local
communities to put the producers on a sound footing and leverage marketplace.