Activities Planned for Next Quarter. Develop management models for improving the business climate in the 12 municipalities, including their respective goals for improvement. Implement the business registration module in the four municipalities that currently use the SIGGLO system.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. Development of Anchor Firms Complete the 11 business plan documents for the remaining 11 anchor firms and participating producers. Implement the Enterprise Development Fund to include: corporate image development, infrastructure construction, and technical assistance. Work with anchor firms and their corresponding producers to produce sales and marketing agreements with prospective buyers and suppliers. Financial Services BNF and PRODEL will organize and carry out 20 presentations on access to microcredit for producers, reaching an estimated 1,400 producers. These presentations will be held throughout the various geographic areas where PRODEL is working during the months of January through May, 2009 and will cover producers in each of the six value chains covered by the program. As a follow up to this first round of sessions, a second phase of presentations will be planned in an effort to reach an estimated additional 1,000 PRODEL producers. In Coordination with the Ministry of Social Development, PRODEL will promote the Planting Partner Program, which is designed to refund Ecuadorian producers part of their expenses incurred in buying inputs for planting crops. The program will allow for the recovery of up $240 and help producers become part of a government supplier database. PRODEL will coordinate with the National Microfinance System Program to organize a workshop for producer associations to promote financing alternatives and product commercialization efforts. With support from the CFN, an informational and training workshop will be held for anchor firm staff to build capacity in the use of the CFN financial simulation model, one of the requirements to access CFN loans.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. A number of plans were made during this past quarter to strengthen anchor firm competitiveness and vertical and horizontal linkages. As a result of recent gains in the implementation of the Enterprise Partnership Fund, PRODEL team members anticipate even greater emphasis will be placed in the coming quarter on activities to strengthen the ties between the anchor firm and its producers in addition to improving sector specific quality control procedures, for example: o PRODEL will facilitate a link between the Escoffee anchor firm and Xxxxx Xxxx indigenous Robusta Coffee producers in the Xxxxxxxx Province of the Ecuadorian Amazon Region to utilize an existing coffee washing facility to increase production and quality levels. o PRODEL technical field personnel will facilitate work with producers in the Xxxxxx Chinchipe Province of southern Ecuador to link them with the Ecuatoriana de Chocolates anchor firm for the production of white chocolate that includes an origin certification process.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. Publish a second announcement in the Ecuadorian press to complete the database of suppliers for the various work areas required by the anchor firms and producers. Develop the terms of reference to contract specialized services included in 20 anchor firm EPF proposals to date. Support anchor firms and producers in identifying qualified suppliers with the PRODEL database as a reference point.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. In the next quarter, PRODEL will conduct meetings to prepare agreements with anchor firms, producers and local governments for business climate improvements through the proposed model.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. During the next quarter, an additional eight anchor firms will begin implementation of the technical assistance, business development and improvement of production and processing infrastructure portions of their projects. A monitoring, evaluation and follow-up workshop will be held for the remaining nine anchor firms that did not participate in the first workshop. PRODEL M&E personnel will continue to make field visits to validate first-hand information reported from the field.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. The sub-contracts and grants department will prioritize the following activities during the 2nd quarter of FY 2009: Complete environmental reviews for the second group of 10 anchor firms for the program. Hire local professionals to provide technical assistance to PRODEL producers and anchor firms. Make follow-up visits to anchor firms in order to support the progress of activities financed through the Enterprise Partnership Fund.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. The PRODEL team will coordinate with local governments and the USAID-funded Municipal Integrated Development Program (PIDEM) program implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to identify projects to upgrade roads, bridges, services, and other infrastructure indispensable for ensuring that participating anchor firm suppliers and others have access to their markets. A meeting between PRODEL and PIDEM has been scheduled for October 2008 to set an agenda to devise a list of potential infrastructure construction efforts. PRODEL team members are working with anchor firms and local municipal officials to identify feasible infrastructure projects for PRODEL beneficiaries. Funding for these projects will come from the IOM PIDEM project budget. • The PRODEL team will make field visits to selected municipalities to identify potential synergies to enhance the local business environment through workshops and trainings that will improve municipal office efficiency provided to the private sector and the public. • PRODEL will work with the professional team from MYPE Competitiva on streamlining public administration processes in Lago Agrio, Putumayo, Pimampiro, Atacames, and Xxxx Xxxxxx. • Meetings will be coordinated among the first 19 anchor firms, their corresponding municipal representatives and the PRODEL technical team to define potential areas of support through program activities.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. Conduct workshops with selected anchor firms to prepare business plans and fill out the Enterprise Partnership Fund application in coordination with anchor firm representatives and producers. • Hold workshop with selected anchor firms and the National Financial Corporation to facilitate access to financing. • Seek additional funding sources to secure micro-enterprise loans for small producers through public and/or private financial entities. • Continue to monitor anchor firm financial indicators for all companies approved to date and discuss any anomalies. • Support the anchor firms in the implementation of their business plans and ensure that it is used as an effective tool to seek financial services and guide the business along a healthy path to increased prosperity for all members of the value chain.
Activities Planned for Next Quarter. Identify fairs and other similar events in which anchor firms can participate to develop linkages with buyers and other like firms. • Work on strengthening linkages between the producers to achieve product quality by organizing farmer field schools and other training events. • Identify additional ways to xxxxxx vertical and horizontal linkages • Participate in the Taza Dorada on October 23-24 and the Chocolate Festival to be held in Guayaquil November 20-23.
