PROFIT Quarterly Report: 2nd Quarter 2009

The project's primary goal is to improve agricultural productivity and market access for smallholder farmers. The initiative focuses on four key sectors: agricultural input market development, cotton market development, agricultural output market development, and dairy market development. Implementation of the project involves training programs for farmers, infrastructure development, and market linkage facilitation. The project targets 60,000 smallholder farmers, with a focus on women-headed households. By the end of the first quarter of 2009, more than 21,727 farmers had received training in sustainable agriculture techniques. The project also focuses on improving the trade and investment capacity of smallholder farmers. By the end of the second quarter of 2009, 628 events had been held to provide training on topics related to improving trade and investment capacity building. The number of capacity-building service providers receiving USG assistance increased to 1,988. The total value of exports in targeted sectors increased to $112,000. The project also trained 143 financial sector professionals in international standards and assisted 28,728 firms in investing in improved technology. The project's administrative and financial data indicate that the total estimated amount for the project is $17,549,830, with a total federal funds authorization of $14,667,415. The project's financial data show that the total value of production per unit, disaggregated by commodity sector, increased to $8,000,000. The value of food and non-food agricultural production by USAID-supported groups increased to $2,276,165. The project's indicators also show an increase in the number of people reached with HIV/AIDS A & B outreach programs, the number of farmers reached with extension/outreach services, and the number of clients/entrepreneurs receiving business development services.