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

Launched in March 2009, the program's mission is to support agribusinesses at different points of each value chain to improve market access, increase processing capacity, and catalyze investments into Afghanistan's agricultural sector. IDEA-NEW continued project activities in September 2014, signing grant agreements with eight input suppliers and seven food processors. The program also awarded one SMS grant and two Fixed Obligation Grants (FOG) for "Basic Food Safety" and "Accounting/Marketing" training. One of the major activities for the month was the participation of 22 IDEA-NEW supported businesses in the 14th Annual International Agriculture Fair held in Kabul from September 24-26, 2014. The program's activities focus on strengthening agricultural input suppliers, supporting food processors, and facilitating market entry for regional and international agribusiness retailers. In September 2014, IDEA-NEW implemented several activities under these focus areas. For example, the Green Afghanistan Agriculture and Livestock Organization (GAALO) started "safe usage of pesticides" training for employees of 10 input suppliers in Kabul, Parwan, and Kapisa. Bakhtar Afghan Agriculture Company conducted two farmer field days in Nangarhar province, while Al-Roheed Agro Service Company conducted two field days in the same province. Under Activity 1: Strengthening Agricultural Input Suppliers, IDEA-NEW implemented several sub-activities. Sub-Activity 1.1 involved training input suppliers to identify and respond to the technical needs of their customers. A Fixed Obligation Grant (FOG) was awarded to GAALO to provide pesticide safety and handling training to IDEA-NEW selected ag-input dealers. The training aimed to improve the knowledge of these dealers in safe pesticide usage, environmental risk mitigation methods, and hazard-free pesticide handling storage. The training for 15 employees of 10 input suppliers began on September 28, 2014, and consisted of three days in the classroom and two days of on-site field training at the Badam Bagh research farm. The curriculum for the training was based on a training needs assessment (TNA) conducted by IDEA-NEW in August. This training will increase input suppliers' sales and profitability from marketing pesticides approved under the Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan (PERSUAP). Sub-Activity 1.2 involved improving the business management, administration, and marketing capacities of input suppliers. IDEA-NEW received USAID Vetting Support Unit (VSU) approval for the Reconstruction and Social Services for Afghanistan Organization (RSSAO) to provide classroom and on-the-job training to participants in basic business accounting and marketing. The training aimed to expand trainees' knowledge in accounting procedures that will improve operations, transparency, and decision-making abilities, as well as enable trainees to create and implement a simple marketing strategy that shows reasonable promises of increasing sales of the key products of the company. Sub-Activity 1.3 involved matching and promotional activity grants to assist agriculture input dealers in improving their business image, extension capabilities, and profits. A total of eight promotional grants were signed with input dealers during the month of September, including Afghan Agro Services (AAS), which was established in 2006 as an agricultural products and services provider (input supplier) with the intention of supporting the government, farmers, buyers, and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.