Competitiveness Enhancement & Enterprise Development (CEED)
Implementer: Chemonics International, Inc.
Project period: 09/2005 - 09/2010

The Competitiveness Enhancement and Enterprise Development Project (CEED) is a market demand driven project that seeks to enhance the competitiveness of Moldovan private sector enterprises within the global market with an emphasis on: 1) textile and apparel; 2) information and communications technology; and 3) winemaking. CEED will work to establish a business environment that stimulates sustainable economic growth and promotes capital investment. CEED will also stimulate effective private/public dialogue and pursue transparency, international codes and performance standards.

Over time, CEED will catalyze the establishment of apex trade organizations that will benefit from efficient and effective relationships within sector supply chains and value chains. The goals of the project are to develop new and better paying jobs for Moldovan citizens and to increase revenues for the targeted sectors.

Agribusiness Development Project (ADP)
Implementer: Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA)
Project period: 06/2004 - 06/2009

The Agribusiness Development Project (ADP) is a five year, $12.2 million project representing the second generation of USAID assistance to agricultural development in Moldova. ADP seeks to increase rural incomes and employment in Moldova by improving the international competitiveness and trade performance of the agricultural sector and ensuring that private farmers achieve economic success in the transition to a market economy.

ADP will strengthen Moldova’s high value agricultural sector by addressing four major links of the value chain. It will: 1) ensure agribusinesses have access to market information to penetrate new export markets, diversify product lines and better meet demand; 2) establish and strengthen competitive agribusinesses; 3) improve farmer capacity to produce product volume and quality to sustain competitive exports; and 4)establish producer and industry associations to facilitate cooperation.

To achieve these goals the project provides technical assistance, training and matched grant support to: 1. mid-level, medium and small scale agricultural processors; 2. intermediate valu-adding enterprises along the market chain; 3. service providers related to agricultural exports and activities; 4. farmers that produce or are seeking to produce high-quality products; and 5. agricultural producer and industry organizations.

Agriculture Policy Project
Implementer: Prime Contractor - Abt. associates, Inc.; Subcontractor - ACDI/VOCA
Project period: 08/2006 - 02/2008

The project assists the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) of the Republic of Moldova become a modern western institution by developing and implementing a restructuring program for the Ministry.

The program has four major objectives: 1) develop and adopt a Mission Statement for the MAFI that meets industry, consumer, and public needs through public dialogue with Moldovan agricultural stakeholders, 2) develop an organizational restructuring plan, based on the international best practices of nearby European states of similar size and profile, and assist the MAFI in fully implementing the plan, 3) assist the MAFI in drafting a human and financial resources allocation plan including necessary regulations, personnel procedures, financial procedures, procurement procedures, etc. to enable implementation of the reorganization plan. Complete all necessary regulatory changes and conduct training in new procedures, and 4) organize and facilitate public discussion and provide accurate, complete information needed for the public to knowledgeably discuss and provide input to appropriate government officials.

Anti-Trafficking Initiative
Implementer: Winrock International, Inc.
Project Period: 08/2004 - 08/2008

The USAID Anti-Trafficking Initiative will reduce the criminal trade in human beings in Moldova through a comprehensive set of activities focusing specifically on the economic roots of trafficking and improving access for young women and girls to employment within Moldova. The project will provide victim assistance and support services, an effective outreach component, improve access to employment and business opportunities, and implement an awareness enhancement program.

Better Opportunities for Youth and Women in Moldova
Implementer: UNDP
Project Period: 10/2004 – 03/2009

The project will establish a network of self-sustaining transitional living and educational "halfway houses" in Moldova. The purpose of the network is to reduce the vulnerability of returned trafficking victims and state boarding school and orphanage graduates to the criminal trade in human beings in Moldova by providing safe, affordable, supervised learning and living environments where they will have access to life-skills, job and employment training, health services and counseling, and tangible work experience that can prepare them for meaningful employment in Moldova and successful (re) integration into the community.

Western NIS Enterprise Fund
Implementer: Western NIS Enterprise Fund
Project period: 06/1995 - onward

The Western NIS Enterprise Fund, a private equity fund with a management portfolio of $150 million, promotes the expansion and strengthening of privatized Moldovan businesses by providing capital, management and marketing assistance, and information systems for new and/or existing enterprises. The Fund makes equity investments and debt transactions including direct loans to entrepreneurs and lease-financing for equipment and/or property to those companies that demonstrate strong prospects for growth and a high rate of return on investment.

Farmer-to-Farmer – Agriculture Volunteers Program (AVP)
Implementer: Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA) 
Project period: 09/1999 - 09/2007

The Farmer-to Farmer program mobilizes skilled volunteers to assist individual farmers and farmer cooperatives in grassroots initiatives that impact agribusiness development. Roughly 35 volunteers, many of whom have over 20 years of farming and business experience in the U.S, participate every year. Volunteers work side by side with Moldovan farmers in assignments that help local farming communities with strategic marketing, development of farmer cooperatives, assistance with developing budgets and work plans, and training local trainers in financial management and record-keeping. The program works closely with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its Women’s Committee to strengthen the representation of women in agriculture and agribusiness.

Access to Credit Initiative - Moldova
Implementer: The Pragma Corporation
Project Period: 09/2006 – 09/2008

The USAID Access to Credit Initiative will reduce constraints to mortgage lending, expand the availability of capital to borrowers as an alternative to bank financing, and facilitate the growth and development of the leasing industry in Moldova. The program provides: 1) Technical assistance and training to the National Bank of Moldova, private commercial banks engaged in or willing to start mortgage lending market operations, and other associations such as the Moldovan Bankers Association, the Association of Real Estate Brokers, the Associations of Appraisers and etc.; 2) Technical assistance to build corporate bonds, mortgage-backed bonds, and the securitization of other asset pools once appropriate enabling legislation is passed; 3) Technical assistance to the Government of Moldova to develop longer-term Treasury securities for the construction of a long-term Government yield curve; and 4) Technical assistance and training to increase the capacity of existing industry participants including assisting foreign lessors and investors in entering the market; working with local organizations to create new leasing companies; and providing information and training to other market participants such as potential lessees, vendors, banks and insurance companies.

Credit Enhancement Program
Implementers: Moldinconbank, Banca Sociala, Mobiasbanca, Corporatia Finantare Rurala
Project Period: 10/2003 – 9/2009

The Development Credit Authority (DCA) loan portfolio guarantee facility is intended to encourage selected Moldovan banks to grant credit to farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by facilitating access to capital, cash markets and technical know-how to both small farmers and SMEs. The Development Credit Authority creates a mechanism to provide risk-sharing alternatives for mobilizing private capital in Moldova and to overcome major obstacles such as the lack of financing for to micro and small businesses, and small farmers for short, medium- and long- term loans. The program is also providing critically needed capital and opportunity for Moldova ’s small businesses and farmers.  This program is building on the successes of the existing guarantee facility of $5.0mln. provided to three Moldovan banks: Agroinbank ($3m), Victoria Bank ($1m) and Fincom Bank ($1m). By this project USAID is opening a Loan Portfolio Guarantee facility for four new financial institutions in total amount of $8m: Mobiasbank - $4m, Moldinconbank - $2m, Banca Sociala - $1m, Rural Finance Corporation - $1m.

<< Back to USAID Programs