Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East and West (IDEA-NEW) Monthly Report—June 2014

The program's mission is to support agribusinesses at different points of each value chain to improve their market access, increase processing capacity and catalyze investments into Afghanistan's agricultural sector. IDEA-NEW's activities focus on the Eastern region, covering Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman, Kabul, Kapisa, Panjshir and Parwan provinces. The program provides targeted support to input suppliers and food processors operating in the grape, orchard crop and vegetable value chains. In June 2014, IDEA-NEW evaluated SMS marketing grants proposals and signed agreements with Hussain Zada Ltd and Prosperity Group of Companies (PGC) to market agriculture inputs through mobile messaging in targeted provinces. The program also reviewed proposals from five input suppliers for the promotional grants program and accepted three, including PGC, Parwan Bastan Agriculture Company, and Royan Agricultural Services Company. Two matching grants were signed in the Kabul office with PGC and Said Khail Nursery Growers Association, while three companies signed grants agreements in Jalalabad: Mamoor Agriculture Company, Nangarhar Afghan Agriculture Training Center (NAATC), and Hamesha Bahar Agro Services Company. IDEA-NEW's Kabul Grants Unit signed a matching grant agreement with the woman-owned business Farah Farhat Faizi Ltd, a vegetable and fruits processing company that recently converted from manual production to an automatic production line. The program also approved three food processors for promotional grants: Faisal Kohestani Food Processing Company, Amini Sadri Ltd, and Farah Farhat Faizi Ltd. In addition, IDEA-NEW identified a new beneficiary for cake processing machinery, Bahar Biscuit Manufacturing Company, which has been in business since 2002 and recently invested US$80,000 in the cake production business. The program also released a batch of solicitation documents (EOIs and RFAs) with a primary focus on potential agriculture input dealers and food processors operating within the IDEA-NEW targeted value chains. The program's activities aim to promote income generation and job creation in poppy-prone areas, contributing to the U.S. Government's stabilization and counter narcotics policy goals. IDEA-NEW's efforts focus on strengthening agriculture input suppliers, supporting food processors and agribusinesses, and promoting economic alternatives for the North, East and West regions of Afghanistan.