Azerbaijan Rural Enterprise Program Holds Promise of Sustainability
USAID’s Rural Enterprise Competitiveness (RECP) team presented its final results at a reception hosted by the Pragma Corporation on April 7, 2008. USAID Country Coordinator for Azerbaijan Scott Taylor led the presentation, welcoming guests representing the Ministries of Agriculture and Economic Development, other international donors, including the World Bank, EBRD, and UNICEF, USAID partners, clients, RECP team members, and over 14 members of the print and broadcast press.
Taylor provided an overview of USAID’s efforts to increase economic growth and to strengthen Azerbaijan’s trade/investment enabling environment. He emphasized RECP’s role in promoting economic growth, underscoring USAID’s commitment to continuing the process of support in the areas of competitiveness and enhancement/entrepreneurial development areas.
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| USAID’s Taylor provided an overview of the Agency’s efforts to increase economic growth and to strengthen Azerbaijan’s policy enabling environment |
RECP Chief of Party, Dr. William Levine, spoke to those assembled, outlining the achievements of the $9.1 million effort aimed at strengthening the capacity of Azerbaijan’s small and medium agribusiness enterprises (SMEs) to increase domestic and export sales, foreign and direct investment, employment in rural Azerbaijan and support for USAID’s Avian Influenza Mitigation efforts. Working with 127 SME clients, RECP increased sales by over $159 million. Investment was increased by almost $25 million, and 4,000 new jobs were created, 47 percent of which were held by women. Avian influenza mitigation efforts focused on working with veterinarians and laboratory staffs in the public and private sector. Forty-eight training seminars were produced for Azerbaijan’s Central Veterinary Services doctors and laboratory technicians, while 19 poultry operations received similar support.
Levine also emphasized that overall capacity-building extended beyond assistance to RECP clients. As a result of their exposure to and training alongside the RECP clients, host country program staff decided to form three consulting firms to carry on RECP’s work and give promise for project sustainability.
After his presentation, Levine invited three RECP clients to make brief presentations. Each pointed out how RECP’s technical assistance, training activities, and financial assistance proved instrumental in positively affecting their business’s growth and development.
After the presentation, one of the presenters, a processor of natural berry juices, was approached by another client who had been buying the berry concentrate from Europe. With the support of two RECP Account Managers, the two companies agreed to deal with one another, simultaneously increasing the sales of one and lowering production costs of the other.
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