February 9, 2009

Winners of the Innovations in Financing Value Chains Competition Recognized

On February 6, the two winners of USAID’s Innovations in Financing Value Chains Competition were recognized with awards for excellence in achievement at QED LLC, in Washington, D.C. The event featured opening remarks made by Anicca Jansen, USAID senior technical advisor in EGAT’s Office of Microenterprise Development, and Janice K. Stallard, ACDI/VOCA senior technical director of Enterprise Development and Competitiveness.

Following the introduction, representatives from the winning submissions—the Rural Competitiveness Activity (ARCo) project, implemented by Chemonics and Crimson Capital, and the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU)—presented on their work. Ramiro Ortega Landa of ARCo presented on "Value Chain Financing in Rural Bolivia: Introducing Purchase Order Financing,” and Luis Jimenez of WOCCU presented on “Using the Value Chain Finance Methodology.” Afterwards, there was a panel discussion on “How Value Chain Finance Can Increase Industry Competitiveness” facilitated by Stallard with contributions from Jansen, USAID/EGAT Investment Officer Anthony Vaganos, USAID Agriculture and Land Tenure Advisor Lena Heron and World Bank economist Juan Buchenau.

USAID’s Innovations in Financing Value Chains Competition aimed to identify successful and pioneering project activities, products and models that contribute to the increased competitiveness of value chains. A panel of value chain finance experts judged the submissions. Panelist members scored each application against the selection criteria. The highest scoring applications were awarded prizes.

ACDI/VOCA supported the competition initiative under our USAID-funded $10 million Accelerated Microenterprise Advancement Project–Business Development Services (AMAP BDS) contract. The goal of AMAP BDS is to increase incomes in poor communities and promote economic growth by enhancing the performance and competitiveness of micro and small enterprises (MSEs).

To learn more about the competition, visit microLINKS website here.

To learn more about ACDI/VOCA’s value chain approach, click here.