Agricultural Trading and Process Promotion Pilot Project

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The Agricultural Trading and Processing Promotion Pilot project is a five year project that will address key sectoral constraints to private investment in agricultural processing and marketing, and will focus primarily on capacity-building and on the transfer of know-how to the private sector through information networks, training, specialized technical assistance, and study tours. The project will pursue a two pronged approach: (a) provision of generic support in three regions to all profitable agroprocessing private entrepreneurs, upstream and downstream of agricultural production, and (b) transfer of specialized expertise to enterprises operating in subsectors or product lines with a high potential for international export which require high-quality standards, such as fresh and dried fruits and vegetables, hides and skins, and shea nuts and other exotic products. Project management will be entrusted to an "Agricultural Trading and Processing Promotion Agency". The Government will exercise overall project supervision through the Ministry of Rural Development and Environment. The Agency will have streamlined operating structures, comprising a coordinating unit located in Bamako, and, in full operation, three regional support units. The project will provide funding for: (i) the operating of the Agency's three regional branches in the Sikasso, Segou, and Mopti regions; (ii) support packages, including specialized technical assistance, training, studies and investment funds for three professional organizations promoting vertical integration for the fruit/vegetable, hide/skins, and oilseeds/shea nut subsectors; (iii) the Agency's operations and management, and the establishment and operation of an agricultural processing and marketing information exchange network; and (iv) activities aimed at facilitating entrepreneurs' access to investment financing and credit.