The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
YOUTH-LED Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been urged to value the importance of intellectual property (IP) rights meant to protect domestic innovations by registering their trademarks.
Speaking at the ZimTrade Eagles Nest Marketing and Branding for International Competitiveness (MBIC) training program in Bulawayo, acting director of the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Innovation Hub, Mr Aleck Ncube said the SMEs should prioritise registering their trademarks their customers from receiving fake products locally and internationally.
“As youth-led SMEs register your trademarks to protect your business and your customers from receiving fake products with a brand that resembles yours. Trademarked brands cannot be abused because other competitors know that registration allows you to flag infringement under the Trademarks Act,” said Mr Ncube.
He added that for acquisition and significance of trademarks once created, brands are legally secured through registration, provides proof of ownership, prevents others from adopting a similar trade-mark, and allows licensing of the products and services.
Mr Ncube also highlighted that trademarks protection was indefinite subject to renewal after every ten (10) years, renewal grace period of one month was allowed at a surcharge and registration lapsed due to non-payment of renewal fees and removal of the mark from the register.
He also noted that IP was an important consideration for pricing, adaption, raising funds, in agreements with local partners, marketing and advertising campaigns and participation in fairs among others.
Among the top ten SMEs present at the training program, Alchemist Chemicals and Pharmaceutical production manager Mr Macdonald Mudyanadzo said the work shop had imparted knowledge in him about the importance of IPs.
“As a young person in business l had not taken seriously the issue of IP and trademarks. This has motivated me to reconsider the trademark rights issue as l want to venture into washing powder production l now that l have to protect my brand first so that l do not have to clash with other competitors,” said Mr Mudyanadzo.
A livestock woman farmer in Plumtree, Miss Sithabile Ndlovu who is currently running a 2000 road runners poultry project and with 100 goats for crossing breeding, said the training program has open up her eyes and given her ideas of how to expand her products for export.
“From here on l would want to expand my two years project and do an out-growers programme whereby l try to outsource more goats and chickens from small holder farmers and youths around my area so that l can be able to meet the numbers that are needed for export,” said Miss Ndlovu.
She added that from some of the topics covered on market research, social media marketing, competitive advantage, how to draw up bankable business proposals and international standards required for exporting. She was aiming for growing her business and start exporting in a few years down the line.
Another SMEs, Bee’s Honey Company technical director, Mr Welcome Bhila said they have been operational for six years with documentation and meeting the clients’ demands being some of the challenges that affected them in the export market.
“Documentation and the paperwork required have slightly affected us. Also production volumes of our honey, that being not able to meet the demands for the clients has drawn us back in the export market. However, from the trainings we learnt that there is so much potential and demand for the Zimbabwean products in the international world, hence one has to innovative,” said Mr Bhila.
ZimTrade launched the youth export incubation program titled the Eagles’ Nest in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Gweru, aimed at nurturing youth-led SMEs into export-ready companies.
This was to be achieved through interventions that are aimed at improving the competitiveness of youth-owned enterprises and developing linkages to local and international markets.
According to the United Nations, Africa has the fastest growing youth population in the world, with approximately 60 percent of its population under the age 24. Over the years the youth has become an important demography in the global economy.
