Workshop in Honiara strengthens agribusiness incubation, building capacity of Solomon Islands agripreneurs with India’s expertise
The Human and Institutional Capacity Development Workshop was completed in Honiara last week, marking a milestone in efforts to strengthen agribusiness incubation and innovation systems in the Solomon Islands.
The week-long workshop aimed to support the development of an effective and sustainable agribusiness incubation system. Drawing on India’s experience in agribusiness incubation, the programme focused on strengthening the capacity of Agribusiness Incubator (ABI) staff and equipping local agripreneurs—particularly youth, women, and rural entrepreneurs—with practical, market-oriented skills.
Speaking at the workshop’s closing dinner on Friday, 16 January 2026, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) Supervising Permanent Secretary, Mr Cornelius Donga, thanked the visiting team from the ABI Centre in India for their engagement throughout the week.
He described the visit as the beginning of a new partnership between the two countries.
“Today marks the beginning of our relationship. This relationship starts today, and it will continue into the future. We hope that one day you will come back and see how our agribusiness sector has grown, how it has accelerated to become exporters and to do business even with India. I will certainly be one of those who will continue to promote and strengthen this relationship between the Solomon Islands and India.
“We have so much in common and so much we can learn from you. When we look at India’s journey, where you were before and where you are now, we can relate to that,” Mr Donga said.
The Director of the Extension Department from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD), Andrew Melanolu, also acknowledged the Indian delegation for the knowledge shared during the workshop.
“I would like to begin by sincerely acknowledging Dr Venkat and the AgriGov India delegation. On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Minister, and the Permanent Secretary, we are grateful for your presence and for being with us throughout this week-long training programme, particularly in building the capacity of our staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and other key stakeholders with whom MAL has been working closely.
“The week-long training has been extremely fruitful, and we are confident that the knowledge and skills gained by our officers during this period will be valuable in advancing and operationalising the agribusiness incubation concept in the Solomon Islands. We would also like to acknowledge the Ministry of Commerce for its leadership role in driving this important initiative forward,” he said.
AgHub Managing Director Dr Venkateshwarlu Gudipati said the workshop coincided with India’s National Startup Day on 16 January and provided an opportunity to engage with representatives from the Solomon Islands ministries.
Drawing on India’s ten years of experience under the Start-up India initiative, Dr Gudipati highlighted similarities between India and the Solomon Islands and noted the country’s progress in launching its agribusiness incubation journey with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Commission.
“I must say that you have taken a very important and timely step. With our decade-long experience in building a start-up ecosystem, we are happy and honoured to work with you, share our learnings, and support the development of a strong Agribusiness Incubation Centre in the Solomon Islands—one that fulfils its objectives as outlined in the Letter of Agreement.
“Entrepreneurship does not grow automatically; it must be built through sustained effort and a strong national campaign. In India, entrepreneurship has become a movement. I would encourage the Solomon Islands to consider designating a National Entrepreneurship Day, Startup Day, or Incubation Day. Such celebrations help raise awareness and provide opportunities to showcase achievements and progress, much like Environment Day, Women’s Day, or Agriculture Education Day,” he said.
The workshop was designed to provide participants with an understanding of India’s agricultural innovation ecosystem, strengthen the capacity of ABI staff, and equip Solomon Islands agripreneurs with practical knowledge, best practices, and exposure to high-performing start-ups and key stakeholders.
SOURCE : MALD Press Release
