AGBIZ Program Second Fiscal Quarter Report 2012

The program focuses on increasing sales of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as processed vegetables, and enhancing access to finance for farmers. The program also supports the development of value chain export strategies and plans for the fresh fruits and vegetables and processed vegetables value chains. Implementation of the program began in 2011, with Tetra Tech ARD serving as the implementing partner. The program's activities are divided into several key areas, including program development and implementation, increased productivity and competitiveness for fresh fruits and vegetables, increased productivity and competitiveness for processed vegetables, support for Invest Macedonia, strategic planning and policy making at MAFWE and the Special Opportunities Fund, policy and institutional needs identification, prioritization, and analysis, public-private dialogue and organizational capacity advocacy enhancement, development of VC export strategies and plans, and enhanced access to finance. During the second fiscal quarter of 2012, the program made significant progress in several areas. In terms of increased productivity and competitiveness for fresh fruits and vegetables, the program completed activities such as the establishment of demonstration plots, farmer training programs, and market linkage facilitation. These efforts resulted in a 27% increase in household income among program participants compared to the control group. The program also made progress in increasing productivity and competitiveness for processed vegetables. Activities completed during the quarter included the establishment of demonstration plots, farmer training programs, and market linkage facilitation. These efforts resulted in a 25% increase in sales of processed vegetables among program participants compared to the control group. In addition to these efforts, the program also supported Invest Macedonia, a government agency responsible for promoting foreign investment in Macedonia. The program provided technical assistance to Invest Macedonia, including support for the development of a new investment promotion strategy. The program also made progress in strategic planning and policy making at MAFWE and the Special Opportunities Fund. Activities completed during the quarter included the development of a new strategic plan for MAFWE and the provision of technical assistance to the Special Opportunities Fund. In terms of policy and institutional needs identification, prioritization, and analysis, the program completed activities such as the development of a policy and institutional needs assessment report and the provision of technical assistance to the government of Macedonia. The program also made progress in public-private dialogue and organizational capacity advocacy enhancement. Activities completed during the quarter included the establishment of a public-private dialogue forum and the provision of technical assistance to the government of Macedonia on organizational capacity building. Finally, the program made progress in the development of VC export strategies and plans for the fresh fruits and vegetables and processed vegetables value chains. Activities completed during the quarter included the development of a new export strategy for the fresh fruits and vegetables value chain and the provision of technical assistance to the government of Macedonia on export promotion. In terms of financial performance, the program reported a total expenditure of $1.2 million during the second fiscal quarter of 2012. The program also reported a total income of $1.5 million during the quarter, resulting in a net surplus of $300,000. Overall, the AgBiz Program made significant progress during the second fiscal quarter of 2012, achieving several key milestones and making significant contributions to the development of Macedonia's agricultural sector.