With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) IFDC is working to establish in Kosovo a trade association support network for agri-input and agribusiness development similar to the successful model in Albania. The Kosovo Agribusiness Development Project (KADP) is promoting market-oriented reforms, assisting in the development of financially sustainable trade associations, establishing linkages in the agribusiness sector, such as the private sector extension system pioneered in Albania, helping nascent agro-enterprises through targeted business and marketing support, and facilitating access to credit. Given the collapse of the original institutions and outdated business and technical capabilities in the province, the trade association support system provides an effective and sustainable channel for progress, as already demonstrated by the creation and recent performance of three trade associations now being nurtured by the project.

Some recent accomplishments of the project include:

• KADP has established itself as the leading agricultural development project in Kosovo.
   
• The project was successful in auctioning 35,000 tons of fertilizer supplied by the European Agency for Reconstruction. This auction, favorable weather conditions, and technical assistance led to a 33% increase in agricultural production over the previous year.
   
• Working on a very fast track, the project established an Alliance of Kosovo Agribusinesses, comprising 5 trade associations with over 3,000 members, and held a seminar on the future of Kosovar agriculture, described by USAID as the best forum ever organized and presented in Kosovo since the war.
   
• KADP was successful in implementing policy reforms on import tariffs by persistent analysis and advocacy to the administration of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
   
• Several successful trade missions and numerous staff and trade association training programs have been held in cooperation with other USAID financial and business management projects.
   
• KADP has been responsible for introducing and testing new high-yielding crop varieties and for conducting numerous field days in conjunction with the private sector.

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