120 women from Novi Pazar, Tutin, Sjenica, Prijepolje, Nova Varos, Priboj, Kucevo, Zagubica, Zabari, Majdanpek, Malo Crnice, Golubac and Petrovac are currently attending the agribusiness entrepreneurship training.

The training sessions are part of the Women in Agribusiness Program jointly implemented by the USAID Agribusiness Project and the Office for Sustainable Development of Underdeveloped Areas, within the Ministry without portfolio.

The training program that will last until the end of February presents the basics of entrepreneurship and business plan writing and will encourage women to launch their agribusinesses. Following the training, the women can apply for start-up grants through the Office for Sustainable Development of Underdeveloped Areas which has allocated funds for 30 grants.

The USAID Agribusiness Project is financing the training program for women in the 13 municipalities while the Office for Sustainable Development of Underdeveloped Areas is providing start-up funds which will enable the women with the best business plans to launch their agribusinesses. Each start-up grant will be up to $15,000 (RSD 1.1 million).

During 2010, the USAID Agribusiness Project introduced the Women in Agribusiness Program so that women could have equal participation in the agribusiness sector, thus increasing the competitiveness of Serbian agribusiness. To date, 300 women have been trained in the basics of entrepreneurship. Eleven women have received in total $160,000 in start up grants from USAID, while the Office for Sustainable Development of Underdeveloped Areas has funded start up grants for three women, in the amount of $40,000.

The USAID Agribusiness Project is a part of a wider portfolio of activities being carried out with the intention of providing a faster, more sustainable economic development in Serbia. The project is focused on stimulating exports of Serbian agricultural goods, increasing efficiency and competitiveness, improving the enabling environment for Serbian agribusinesses, and creating new employment in this sector of the economy.

For further information, kindly contact: Ana Martinovic, USAID Agribusiness Project Communication Advisor, +381-11 243-6611 or ana_martinovic@agrobiznis.net

Since 2001 USAID has invested more than $662.5 million to stimulate economic growth, strengthen the justice system, and promote good governance in Serbia.
For more information about USAID, visit http://serbia.usaid.gov.