In May 2023, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) launched its Business Beyond ‘Town’ initiative to connect face-to-face with entrepreneurs in rural areas. The initiative aims to inform existing and potential entrepreneurs about the corporation’s locations and the range of services provided for MSMEs through pop-ups and presentations conducted in collaboration with both public and private sector partners.
Among the entities we have collaborated with are Barita Investments, Tax Administration Jamaica, Companies Office of Jamaica, the Natonal Commercial Bank as well as the Chambers of Commerce in St. James and St. Thomas.
Teams from JBDC visit specific locations and engage in one-on-one business discussions with entrepreneurs. Existing and potential entrepreneurs are updated on the agency’s latest initiatives, programmes, and projects which can help take their business ‘From Concept to Market’.
So far, the initiative has successfully expanded the JBDC’s clientele to include over 600 new entrepreneurs.
The JBDC has established Business Centres located in the parishes of Kingston & St. Andrew, St. Thomas, Manchester, St. Ann, St. James and Westmoreland. The Business Centres are strategically located to also serve neighbouring parishes which do not yet have a physical space.
Additionally, through its Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) Network, the JBDC has partnered with other entities to establish offices that provide business development services. To support rural areas, SBDCs are located at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), College of Agriculture, Science & Education (CASE), and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).
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