Zimbabwe Agricultural Competitiveness Program Third Quarterly Progress Report, Year Two (APR – JUN 2012)

The program is implemented by DAI and its subcontractor partners. The third quarterly progress report for year two (April – June 2012) highlights the program's achievements and challenges. Key highlights of the program include the strengthening of organizations and institutions for evidence-based advocacy, improvement of market infrastructure and institutions, and enhancement of agro-business development services, agro-business skills, and agro-production and productivity. The program has made significant progress in these areas, with notable achievements including the establishment of a commodity exchange in Zimbabwe (COMEZ) and the development of a business service provider (BSP) network. The program has also made significant strides in improving market infrastructure and institutions, including the establishment of a market linkages association (MLA) and the development of a trade finance capital (TFC) facility. Additionally, the program has enhanced agro-business development services, agro-business skills, and agro-production and productivity through the provision of training and technical assistance to farmers and agro-businesses. The program has also made significant progress in addressing environmental and gender issues. The environmental management agency (EMA) has been engaged to provide technical assistance on environmental issues, and the program has implemented measures to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in the agricultural sector. Despite these achievements, the program has faced several challenges, including limited access to credit and market information, inadequate infrastructure, and limited capacity of farmers and agro-businesses. The program has also faced challenges in implementing its activities, including delays in the establishment of the commodity exchange and the development of the BSP network. The program has also made significant progress in monitoring and evaluation, with the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system and the conduct of regular monitoring and evaluation activities. The program has also conducted a midterm evaluation, which revealed a 27% increase in household income among program participants compared to the control group. The program has also made significant progress in networking and collaboration, with the establishment of partnerships with various stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, and private sector entities. The program has also conducted regular networking and collaboration activities, including weekly activities meetings (WAM) and technical working groups (TWG) meetings. In conclusion, the Zimbabwe Agricultural Competitiveness Program has made significant progress in improving the competitiveness of the agricultural sector in Zimbabwe. The program has achieved notable successes in strengthening organizations and institutions, improving market infrastructure and institutions, and enhancing agro-business development services, agro-business skills, and agro-production and productivity. However, the program has also faced several challenges, including limited access to credit and market information, inadequate infrastructure, and limited capacity of farmers and agro-businesses. The program will continue to work towards addressing these challenges and achieving its objectives. The program's budget for the third quarter of year two was $1.2 million, which was allocated to various activities, including the establishment of the commodity exchange, the development of the BSP network, and the provision of training and technical assistance to farmers and agro-businesses. The program's budget for the next quarter will be $1.5 million, which will be allocated to various activities, including the implementation of the program's midterm evaluation and the development of a medium-term plan (MTP). The program has also made significant progress in documenting its activities and achievements, with the preparation of various reports and documents, including the quarterly progress report, the midterm evaluation report, and the MTP. The program will continue to document its activities and achievements, including the preparation of regular progress reports and the development of a final report at the end of the program. The program has also made significant progress in building its capacity, including the recruitment of new staff and the provision of training and technical assistance to existing staff. The program will continue to build its capacity, including the recruitment of new staff and the provision of training and technical assistance to existing staff. The program has also made significant progress in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in the agricultural sector, including the implementation of measures to promote women's participation in decision-making and leadership positions. The program will continue to promote gender equality and women's empowerment, including the implementation of measures to promote women's participation in decision-making and leadership positions. The program has also made significant progress in addressing environmental issues, including the implementation of measures to promote sustainable agriculture practices and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural activities. The program will continue to address environmental issues, including the implementation of measures to promote sustainable agriculture practices and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural activities. The program has also made significant progress in improving the livelihoods of farmers and agro-businesses, including the provision of training and technical assistance to improve their productivity and competitiveness. The program will continue to improve the livelihoods of farmers and agro-businesses, including the provision of training and technical assistance to improve their productivity and competitiveness. The program has also made significant progress in promoting trade and investment in the agricultural sector, including the