AGCI Enterprise Development
Photo: USAID/Ethiopia, Fintrac
Exports of leather products from Ethiopia increased significantly thanks to training and expanded manufacture capacity of finished hides and skins.
An important area of focus for AGCI is increasing firm-level competitiveness. Typical activities include improving firm management and production capacity, assisting in marketing and tapping into the global supply chain, and helping companies create jobs and expand capacity. In FY 2008, AGCI was active in developing enterprise through 11 projects in nine countries-Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. In addition, each of the regional Hubs and the East African Regional Agricultural Trade Expansion Support (RATES) program took an active role in improving the skills and capacity of export-ready firms in 11 countries and serving as marketing information centers, including for AGOA.
FY 2008 achievements under the enterprise development component include:
- Helping generate $58 million in exports to the United States from AGOA-eligible countries.
- Achieving a 250-percent increase in AGOA exports from Ethiopia and a 30-percent increase in exports from Senegal.
- Offering export-related capacity building assistance to more than 8,600 firms throughout Africa.
- Training 95,000 Africans in AGCI-sponsored trade and related events.
- Helping improve Senegal's Doing Business ranking from 168th in 2008 to 149th in 2009, and contributing to the country being cited by the World Bank as one of the top 10 African reformers.
- Facilitating 42 significant national and regional legal, regulatory, or institutional actions to improve the implementation of international trade and investment agreements, including Africa's regional trade protocols.
- Assisting in improving technical standards and trading rules at the sectoral level for such products as maize, dairy, and export commodities.
- Training 3,775 Africans at trade and investment environment-related events.
AGCI Publications: Enterprise Development Best Practices
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