THROUGH a collaborative effort, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) with the Caribbean Centre for Competitiveness (CCFC) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) will spearhead phase two of a project, titled: Global Value Chain and Cluster Study of the Furniture Industry in Guyana. According to a release by the Natural Resources Ministry, the CCFC which is funded by the IDB, the UK’s Department For International Development (DFID) and the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, aims to work with Industry and regional governments to develop competitiveness strategies for sustainable development of targeted industries through applied Cluster and Value Chain Initiatives

The ultimate objective, they noted, is to define profitable business segments within which local industries can improve their global competitiveness through the use of Industry Clusters and improved positioning in Global Value Chains.
“Phase one of this project was initiated by CCFC and involved a detailed analysis of the global furniture industry and a preliminary review of the local industry,” the ministry said, adding that this phase concluded with a stakeholders’ consultation at the Herdmanston Lodge on March 16.
Against this backdrop, phase two of the project will be executed during the month of March to early April and will involve a deepened analysis of the local industry, through which a local cluster mapping of all stakeholders will be conducted and the local value-chain constructed.
As such, this activity will seek to determine the competitive strategic segments within which Guyana’s furniture industry should focus its efforts.
Additionally, interviews will be conducted with logging companies, sawmilling companies, furniture manufacturers and institutional stakeholders in order to develop a strong understanding of the current state of the industry, and to appreciate possible future industry trends. This phase, the ministry said, will culminate in a second stakeholders’ meeting at which the findings will be presented.
The MNRE requests the continuing valued collaboration of all stakeholders to make phase 2 of this project a success. For additional information, kindly contact Mr. Gavin Agard at gagard@nre.gov.gy or 231-2506-10 ext 217 or Ms. Dianna DaSilva-Glasgow at dianna.dasilvaglasgow@sta.uwi.edu or 627-8119.