Apologies to you all, for the past week i was a bit silent and busy with preparations for the exhibition and the internet connection was slow so i could not log into the blog because google is blocked at my workplace.
Last week was another week full of exciting experiences, on the morning of Friday 30th July National Food Technology took part in the FOOD AND BEVERAGE EXHIBITION(FOBEX) at Ditshupo Hall in Gaborone. The exhibition which was held under the theme"ICT enabled Innovation and Productivity: Key to Business Survival in the New Decade and Beyond" attracted different stakeholders like Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board,National Food Technology Research Centre(NFTRC) Cresta Hotels, Department of Social Services,Lapologa Magazine, Senn Foods, Local Enterprise Authority, Thobo Orion Products (Pty) Ltd, Yound Chefs Academy and many others.
The exhibition was well attended though it did not attract as much people as expected, the companies had the chance to showcase their products and compete with other local producers. This was not just an opportunity for me as a Public Relations practitioner to get to see local food producers but to sit with them and interact and get to know their problems as well as suggest some possible solutions to some of them.
Though these companies produced food of high quality they were still facing a problem of stiff competition from imports which are well marketed in Botswana. Most of the producers were even finding it hard to penetrate the local market becauseof the ideology that local produce is of poor quality though the truth is that there has not been enough publicity on local products. National Food Technology Research Centre trains local food producers in food technologies, hygiene and packaging, but this time around it was part of the exhibition, showcasing some of the food products which were researched and produced at the organisation. I was part of the pack that was selected to go and represent the organisation, and this time around i carried my camera everywhere i go and made sure i capture every unforgettable moment as they unfolded.
During the prize giving session, NFTRC scooped second position after Young Chefs which scooped first position and overall performance trophy. It was a thrilling opportunity to me as an intern because i had the opportunity to be part of the winning team and i believe it was through my contribution that the organisation was able to make it. In a competition we can not all be winners and a loss should be a lesson to all who did not perform well to improve so as to outstand their competitors next time and to the winners it is a challenge to keep up the excellence. The winners and losers of that day continued to work together and visit each others stall to view their products and purchase those which were on sale and i believe it was a fascinating experience because after all were winners after learning and teaching each other on food production and using modern information technology to market their products.
I am currently working on strategic communication plan and the weekly bulletin which continues to inspire the staff of NFTRC. Keep checking the blog for more updates and please leave your comments so we can improve where necessary.
1 comment:
Hi, Karabo
Congratulations to your organization for scoping a price at the exhibition, it is a good thing as it will show that you are working hard.
In regard to the local companies and the poor quality ideologies, i believe that during your interaction with producers you discussed some ways in which both of you can help each to eradicate that ideology through publicity. i think that you will regard that as a crisis and you will come up with strategies and tactics to fight that crisis.
Good luck to your strategic communication plan and the weekly bulletin, those are the main things in the PR industry, as the weekly bulletin is a good thing for internal communication in the organization.
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