International Executive Service Corps: VEGA AGOA+ was designed on the premise that accelerated export development requires a market linkage approach that identifies the right market opportunities, builds the trade capacity of firms to successfully complete orders and facilitates access to the finance needed to grow and develop new business. VEGA AGOA+ undertook three primary activities: (1) trade capacity building and export promotion, (2) institutional strengthening for Business Membership Organizations (BMOs) and government agencies and (3) promoting access to finance – first through investment finance from the Diaspora and later loan finance through USAID’s DCA loan guarantee program. Particular focus was placed on support to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), women entrepreneurs and Diaspora investors. Read more...

Aid to Artisans: In Colombia, the USAID ATA project began working with the Kankuama in 2003 with the goal of assisting them to regain one of the traditional elements of their culture. A group of women in this area were interested in converting their custom of making shoulder bags into a full-scale business. The design and method of production of these bags was based on traditional weaving elements in their culture. And, even though these women had not achieved success in the market to that point, it soon became clear to ATA that the raw material and weaving method had a large amount of potential in the marketplace. So, ATA assembled a pilot group of 100 women, located in 12 of the indigenous Kankaumas villages in the area. Coordination between villages was difficult because of distance, and lack of means of communication, but in an effort to focus on sustainability, ATA started work with the artisans by emphasizing the principles of quality and developing products that align with market trends and expectations. After this initial intervention, interest amongst members of the community grew, and more expressed a desire to become involved. ATA responded by helping the group to develop a business plan, and organize themselves into a formal organization. Once all of the legal measures had been completed, the new association, named Asoarka, began coordinating production between its 191 members in each of their respective houses.

Sustainability

To improve USAID’s understanding of the degree to which elements of Trade Capacity Building projects (e.g., institutions, services, benefits) funded between 2002 and 2006 were sustained after project funding ended, an evaluation (see resources link) was conducted to identify specific instances of sustainability, as well as queried USAID stakeholders about this issue. Discussions with USAID implementing partners and staff during the evaluation’s Stakeholder Consultation period also suggested that, in some instances, local organizations are continuing to provide the kinds of assistance that projects initiated.

In Macedonia, for example, project documents for USAID’s Made in Macedonia project, which ended in 2005 and implemented by ATA, describe an unexpected effort by local field staff to sustain this project: As ATA was preparing for project closeout and building ownership of MADE activities amongst other sector participants, ATA field staff announced their interest in continuing the project’s mission independently. ATA supported their decision to establish a separate entity, called the Macedonian Artisan Trade Association (MATA) which would continue craft-sector support services. The development of MATA was seen as positive step toward local leadership in the craft sector. ATA also prompted MATA to develop and print promotional materials for the high-profile Annual Holiday Bazaar and worked with MATA as co-organizers in press events during the holiday season to inform the public of the MADE project closing, and highlight the transition of craft sector leadership to MATA. A 2010 internet search indicates that MATA, the outgrowth of this grassroots effort to sustain project services continues to provide the kinds of services it formed to provide. Current information about this second-generation initiative from a USAID project is available on its website: http://www.matacraft.org.mk/.

CDC Development Solutions: Regional Market Linkages - CDC Development Solutions has utilized our Regional Market Linkages model to foster strengthen networks and provide embedded technical assistance across a number of sectors, including trade, extraction, ICT, and agribusiness.

A business services linkages adaptation of the model has fostered the growth of business support services in more than a dozen countries and has helped to reinvigorate trade in regions where deteriorated infrastructure and relationships had all but put a halt to cross-border transactions.

An agribusiness-focused version of our Regional Market Linkages model works with small-holding farmers to increase production volume and quality, assists agro-processors and distributors to improve their internal business processes and develops technical packages that can be used by suppliers to ensure produce is meeting specific standards. Our approach balances the relationship between producers and buyers through the development of multiple agro-processor-led supply chains and grower-owned industry infrastructure.

By leveraging the existing business community and addressing systemic problems in the regional value chain for a specific sector, CDC Development Solutions builds a structure that increases the quality and volume of production or services as it expands market access and revenue.

International Senior Lawyers Project (ISLP): Trade Negotiation Training - Through a generous grant from the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, ISLP developed trade negotiation training programs in Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The program aims to increase the participants’ substantive understanding of international trade regimes (both multilateral and bilateral); improve the negotiation skills of active and potential trade negotiators; and expand the institutional capacities of African countries in the areas of trade policy development, negotiating team support, coordination with the private sector, and trade agreement implementation.

CNFA: Strengthening Market Linkages - CNFA addresses the myriad challenges faced by small- and medium-scale enterprises to increase rural incomes and help small- and medium-scale farmers make the transition from subsistence to successful commercial production.

Working at three systemically linked levels of the agricultural economy (markets, enterprises and producers), CNFA strengthens the linkages between producers and buyers, enabling producers to access new technologies, improve quality and, ultimately, to expand sales and incomes. Targeted technical assistance and matching grant support to key industry stakeholders (small- and medium-scale producers, processors and other value-adding enterprises, wholesale distributors and exporters, agricultural service providers and producer and industry associations) maximizes impact.

CNFA economists and business specialists conduct thorough analyses of enterprises and linkages in a market chain and the unique competitive advantages of each market chain in regional markets. As a result, projects are more targeted—designed to address specific market chain weaknesses.

Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC): For the past 20 years, FSVC has worked in nearly 50 countries in various regions around the world, having reached almost 34,000 participants through more than 2,200 missions. Our core work concentrates on combating money laundering and financial crimes, strengthening commercial banking systems, building capital markets, and developing central bank capabilities.
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