Evaluation of the Participatory Agriculture Project (PAPA) Program in Azerbaijan

The Participatory Agriculture Project in Azerbaijan (PAPA) operated from March 2000 to June 2003, under a cooperative grant agreement with USAID. Its total budget for the 39-month implementation period was $2.99 million USD, of which 80% was provided by USAID and 20% was provided by Land O’Lakes and/or other partners, including client beneficiaries. PAPA’s objective was to address USAID’s Strategic Objective SO 1.3. The PAPA activity also successfully addresses a number of USAID’s IR’s, which are focused on; increasing market responsiveness of client firms (IR 1.3.3) and developing private membership associations, which provide services and are financially self-supporting (IR1.3.4).

The project worked in two sectors of the agribusiness economy: livestock and hazelnuts. Geographically, PAPA’s activities were concentrated in northern Azerbaijan, including the districts of Oguz, Gakh, Gabala, Balaken, Sheki, Zagatala, Guba, and in the Baku metropolitan area. Project activities and budget focused on three specific areas. About 40% of the project's total budget was expended on association development within the livestock, dairy and hazelnut sectors. Approximately 35% of the budget went towards technical workshop training and firm level TA while about 25% of the budget was expended on marketing TA and implementation of a market information system.