Creating a Competitive Private Sector in Iraq
Funded by USAID, the $1.2 million Iraq Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI), which ran from 2004-2005, was implemented by Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) with CNFA, International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and Citizens Development Corps (CDC) as subcontractors. The goal of the project was to help expand a competitive private sector in Iraq by offering business training and other business support services to Iraqi entrepreneurs.
Value Chain and Marketing Development: CNFA identified, assessed and analyzed market opportunities throughout the entire agricultural value chain to ensure that interventions were appropriately targeted. The team developed a comprehensive agribusiness strategy that addressed agribusiness development needs, priority sectors and specific interventions to strengthen weaknesses within specific value chains. PSDI provided training, technical assistance, and grants to strengthen value chains and expand market opportunities for farmers.
Enterprise Development Grants: PSDI disbursed $3 million grants by the end of the program. The primary recipients of the grants will be established Iraqi businesses and start-up businesses that met grant eligibility requirements. CNFA designed the grants program and coordinated its execution.
Volunteer Technical Assistance: Volunteers and consultants served as expert advisors to the PSDI project. For security reasons, volunteers were employed in third-country locations. These volunteer experts provided customized, practical and measurable assistance to selected Iraqi sectors and businesses.
Final Results:
- 1,566 firm-level interventions undertaken
- 1,680 people received training
- More than 9,000 small business kits distributed
- 347 grants distributed worth approximately $3 million
