The Torba “Vanuatu Made” Tradeshow and Fête de la Musique brought together local businesses, farmers, entrepreneurs, government agencies and communities, creating opportunities for economic development, market exposure and cultural expression during the annual provincial event.
Organised by the Department of Industry (DoI) under the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, the tradeshow provided a platform for local producers and entrepreneurs to showcase their products, connect with potential customers and explore opportunities to expand their businesses.
Promoting Local Production and Value Addition
Strong participation from across Torba Province, from Ureparapara to Mere Lava, demonstrated the growing potential of local production and small businesses in the province.
Nine Industrial Permit holders showcased locally produced and value-added products, while six farmers displayed agricultural commodities. Their participation highlighted the importance of strengthening local production, adding value to raw materials and creating opportunities for farmers and businesses to access new markets.
The event also provided an opportunity for three local tailors to participate in the fashion show, demonstrating how local skills, traditional materials and cultural designs can be developed into commercially viable products. This is particularly important for encouraging entrepreneurship among women and young people and creating additional sources of household income.
Supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment
Women’s participation was an important feature of the event, particularly through local handicrafts, tailoring, food products and other small-scale business activities.
By creating opportunities for women to display and sell their products, provincial trade events can help strengthen women’s confidence as entrepreneurs, increase their visibility in the marketplace and connect them with potential customers and business opportunities.
Supporting women to turn their skills and locally available resources into income-generating activities contributes directly to household livelihoods and broader economic participation in rural and remote communities.
Connecting Entrepreneurs with Markets
The tradeshow provided producers with direct access to consumers and an opportunity to receive feedback on their products. Such platforms are important for small businesses, particularly those operating in remote islands where access to larger markets can be challenging.
Private-sector partners, including Vodafone and the National Bank of Vanuatu (NBV), also contributed by providing business awareness and information on financial services. Their participation helped expose local entrepreneurs to services that can support business development, financial inclusion and future growth.
Bringing Economic Opportunities Closer to Communities
For many people in the outer islands, participation in economic opportunities can be affected by distance, transportation costs and limited access to information and services.
Provincial events such as the Torba tradeshow provide an opportunity to bring producers, consumers, businesses and government services closer together. This helps communities learn about available support, explore business opportunities and promote products within and beyond their local markets.
The participation of seven government departments further strengthened access to information and services for communities attending the event.
Culture as an Economic Opportunity
The economic activities were complemented by the Fête de la Musique programme, which provided a platform for local and visiting performers to showcase their talents.
Performances by the Avar Women’s String Band, Sola Music Group and Mix Blood, together with the Santo Fire Dance and support from Edix Sound, demonstrated the potential of music, culture and creative talent to contribute to local economic activity.
The participation of women, young people, musicians and cultural groups also highlighted opportunities for the creative industries to become an important part of local entrepreneurship and income generation.
Strengthening Local Economies
The Torba event demonstrated that economic development is not only about larger businesses and formal markets. It also begins with farmers, women entrepreneurs, tailors, artisans, musicians and small businesses using local resources, skills and creativity to generate income.
Through initiatives that promote local production, value addition, entrepreneurship, women's economic empowerment and market access, communities can strengthen their participation in the wider economy.
The Department of Industry will continue to support initiatives that create opportunities for local businesses and producers to improve their products, reach markets and develop sustainable income-generating activities.
From farmers and women entrepreneurs to tailors, businesses and creative talents, Torba continues to demonstrate the potential of local people and local resources to contribute to stronger and more inclusive provincial economies.