USAID/Compete Monthly Report, August 1 – August 31, 2016

The project focuses on supporting the agribusiness, fishing, ICT, furniture, textile and garment, and domestic tourism sectors. In the West Bank, the program is focused on building the production capacity of firms to grow locally and expand regionally and internationally, addressing key market failures that will open the horizon for new value chains. In the West Bank, the agribusiness sector has seen significant progress. The introduction of new growing patterns for baby cucumbers has proven to increase yields and enhance quality. One-hundred and one farmers from Jenin and Tubas applied to join the program, and the project's team visited ninety-seven farmers, signing sixty-nine Letters of Agreement (LOAs). The total area covered through these farmers is 108.5 dunums. The project has also made progress in the grapes program, receiving 691 applications from interested farmers and companies representing around 2500 dunums of planted vineyards. In the ICT sector, IBDAA continued to conduct meetings and events, including a "Maturing and Pitching Skills" workshop at the Arab American University of Jenin. The workshop aimed to enhance the skills of students in pitching their ideas and maturing their entrepreneurial ventures. The project also supported the development of new ideas and skills among students, contributing to the growth of the ICT sector in the West Bank. The project's progress in the West Bank is a continuation of previous years' activities in selected value chains. The program is focused on concluding the respective development objectives in these sectors. In contrast, the program in Gaza is opening a new chapter of programming after many years of limited development amongst a totally isolated economy. The project aims to support the Palestinian private sector in strengthening its competitiveness and expansion into new local, regional, and international markets in the key sectors essential to the future prosperity of the Gazan economy. The project's progress is organized into three sections, including two appendices. Chapter Two presents the key accomplishments and details of each technical sector, disaggregated by region. Chapter Three includes discussing activities' progress for each sector during the past month as compared to the Compete Work Plan and their respective indicators. The appendices outline the lists of trainings and workshops already completed, as well as upcoming events of note.