The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, highlighted the scope of the agreement signed between the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which will contribute to boost the economy by supporting rural MSMEs, providing more jobs for women and rural youth in the provinces of Samaná, Montecristy and Pedernales, with enormous tourism potential.
He explained that as part of the agreement and within the framework of the Responsible Tourism Recovery Plan, some USD220,000.00 will be invested in the implementation of a project in the mentioned provinces where the government is promoting development plans and has initiated the strengthening of tourist centers with up to 3,000 rooms that will be in operation by 2023.
With the signing of this agreement, the UN specialized agency will support the government through the development of a model to boost the activities of rural MSMEs, strengthening the associativity of farmers, training and access to microcredits.
Collado said that it will promote competitiveness, family agriculture, support for agricultural producers, also contributing to the preparation of these small businesses, associations and existing cooperatives for their linkage with the new formal private markets, diversify their supply and boost their activities.
The head of Mitur highlighted the benefits of this FAO cooperation in the recovery of the sector, creating more jobs for women and rural youth, contributing to the demand for food production, goods and services of the tourism value chain in these provinces.
He indicated that in order to implement this model, which will focus on family agriculture and its insertion in the tourism value chain, a technical roundtable will be set up to bring together key public and private sector stakeholders.
The aim is to develop a dialogue mechanism to identify markets with the greatest potential for linking producers with these production chains in the provinces involved.
The Ministries of Tourism and Industry and Commerce will also be strengthened to develop associative, general and productive capacities of rural enterprises.
Digitalization
Minister Collado added that the agreement includes digitalization, both in production efficiency and in the connection and commercialization of markets.
It will also promote the access of associations, cooperatives and rural MSMEs to information and communication technologies (ICT) to explore the use of virtual marketplaces, blockchain for trade, virtual payment platforms for unbanked producers, e-learning, virtual capacity building, among others.
