Staff Reporter 

Loden Foundation and Mountain Hazelnuts last week signed an agreement to set up a specific funding window dedicated to businesses along the hazelnut value chain.

According to a joint press release, once the business proposals are received, representatives from the two organisations along with a panel of independent judges would select the most promising businesses in the hazelnut value chain to receive loans.

Loden Foundation and Mountain Hazelnuts will be jointly responsible for supporting and mentoring these businesses.

Loden Foundation’s Executive Director Phuntsho Namgay said, “We are excited to partner up with Mountain Hazelnuts. During these challenging times, we envisage that this partnership will result in generating employment and strengthening the agriculture supply chain in the country.”

Chief Executive Officer of Mountain Hazelnuts Sean Watson (PhD) said that the partnership would act as a backbone and catalyst to aid the country in creating jobs and developing the agricultural sector.

“We are one integrated value chain which will enable people to build businesses and carry it forward into the other parts of the agricultural sector,” he said. “We are excited to be partnering with Loden Foundation to present this opportunity to unemployed youths, entrepreneurs and to encourage young women to improve their access development.”

He said that the agreement would be prioritising women entrepreneurs in case of equal strengths of business proposals with the hope that such an initiative would encourage other women entrepreneurs.

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