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Coconut

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is strengthening growth of the coconut industry through marketing and diversification of the product range of existing producers, bringing sustainability and resilience to businesses.

Innovating the Coconut Sector for Sustainable Growth

In response to challenges in the Solomon Islands' coconut sector, Strongim Bisnis shifted its focus in 2023 from traditional products like virgin coconut oil to developing diverse value-added products. By investing in new product development, branding, and collaboration, the program aims to boost local and export markets, driving growth and innovation within the sector. Our goal is to ensure coconut growers earn a sustainable income from coconut production and have access to the information and support they need to do so.

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is strengthening growth of the coconut industry through marketing and diversification of the product range of existing producers, bringing sustainability and resilience to businesses.

Why Coconut

The coconut sector in the Solomon Islands, involving over 40,000 rural households, generates significant revenue from copra, coconut oil, and other derivatives. However, challenges such as fluctuating global commodity prices, high production costs, transportation issues, and inconsistent coconut supply have reduced profitability and growth. To address these challenges, processors are diversifying into higher-value products like coconut cream, desiccated coconut, and body washes. This strategic shift is driving innovation and opening opportunities in both domestic and export markets

Strategy

Production of Diverse Coconut Products:

  • Support processors like Islands’ Own and Coconut Bioenergy (CBE) in scaling up the production of value-added products such as desiccated coconut, coconut cream, coir, and fibre.
  • Contribute to the procurement of equipment, like an automated coconut meat washing station, and establish processing and collection centres to improve production efficiency.

Branding, Marketing, and Packaging:

  • Assist processors in developing strong branding, marketing, and packaging strategies to enhance product visibility and competitiveness in both local and international markets.
  • Collaborate with marketing firms to build internal staff capacity and establish partnerships with distributors to expand market reach.

Increased Information Sharing and Collaboration:

  • Encourage collaboration among processors to reduce costs through coordinated packaging, shipping, and freight consolidation.
  • Promote partnerships with other commodity exporters to access new international markets and drive product innovation.

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Cross - Cutting Themes

  • GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion): Strongim Bisnis will focus on involving women, youth, and people with disabilities in all coconut sector activities, encouraging partners to create more opportunities across the supply chain.
  • Public/Private Sector Collaboration:Strongim Bisnis will work with the Solomon Islands Government to improve coconut farming, replanting, and local production, supporting sustainable growth in the sector.

Impact Outcomes

  • Enhanced Product Diversity: Increased production of value-added coconut products for domestic and export markets, reducing reliance on traditional commodities.
  • Improved Market Competitiveness: Strengthened branding and marketing strategies leading to greater product visibility and sales.
  • Sustainable Growth: Stronger collaboration among processors and partnerships with distributors and exporters, fostering innovation and expanding market opportunities.

Current partners

In 2024, Strongim Bisnis will continue fostering private partnerships to drive product innovation and reduce costs through coordinated packaging, shipping, and freight.

The program will also promote collaboration with other exporters to enter new markets with innovative products and marketing campaigns.The program has established partnerships with four coconut processors.

Islands’ Own Limited, Coconut Bioenergy, Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands (KPSI)

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Explore Our Programs

Tackling the nation’s trade and investment challenges, we work to provide solutions for businesses and investors in the coconut, cocoa, tourism, waste management, timber, financial services and horticulture industries, while empowering women, youth and people living with disability.

Women's Economic Empowerment

Increasing gender equity and opportunities for women to access and take advantage of resources to create and obtain jobs and move into senior roles throughout the market.

Cocoa

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is revolutionising the Solomon Islands cocoa sector through investments in local enterprises and extensive marketing efforts, stimulating in-country value addition and generating an increased demand for local cocoa products.

Coconut

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is strengthening growth of the coconut industry through marketing and diversification of the product range of existing producers, bringing sustainability and resilience to businesses.

GEDSI

Strongim Bisnis is working to create more inclusive economic opportunities by actively supporting Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI). Through targeted interventions and partnerships, the program helps remove barriers to participation, such as limited access to resources and decision-making. By promoting inclusiveness across sectors, Strongim Bisnis aims to build a more equitable economy that benefits everyone.

Horticulture

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is expanding its support for smallholder farmers in Guadalcanal Province by improving access to essential resources and services. By partnering with food processing companies, the program continues to open market opportunities.

Timber

The Solomon Islands timber sector relies heavily on round log exports, with only a small fraction of wood exports processed locally. As the natural forest logging industry declines, there is a critical need to expand plantation timber and enhance domestic processing capabilities. Strongim Bisnis is focusing on improving plantation timber value chains and downstream processing to ensure the sector's long-term sustainability.

Tourism

The tourism sector plays a significant role in the Solomon Islands' economy, contributing 10.5% to GDP and generating USD 132.8 million annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. With a goal of reaching 50,000 international visitors per year by 2025, Strongim Bisnis is partnering with high-potential businesses to help the tourism industry grow.

Waste Management

Strongim Bisnis is working on waste streams (initially within Guadalcanal, Central and Western provinces) with the objective of finding sustainable and commercially viable solutions for recycling and waste removal/disposal services. This is aimed at driving economic growth and creating private sector jobs.

Youth & Disability Inclusion

Addressing the vulnerability of unemployed young women and men and the barriers for youth to be included in the economy – especially those who live with disabilities.