Revitalizing the Dairy Sector in Southern Serbia: A Comparative Study of Post-Conflict Value Chain Assistance (Presentation)

Hayden Aaronson of Mercy Corps presented “Revitalizing the Dairy Sector in Southern Serbia: A Comparative Study of Post-Conflict Value Chain Assistance.” The seminar was the 25th installment of the Linking Small Firms to Competitiveness Strategies Breakfast Seminar Series sponsored by the USAID Microenterprise Development office.

Mr. Aaronson discussed Mercy Corp’s AMAP case study research on the impact of the USAID/Community Revitalization through Democratic Action (CRDA) project. The goal of this project was to provide rapid reconstruction and relief assistance from 2001-2007 to those impacted by conflict in Serbia. The AMAP research specifically examined the dairy sector and whether dairy processor interventions or farmer interventions achieved greater impact. Market chains comprised of farmers, dairies, and end-market buyers were interviewed to determine the level of impact of the farmer interventions and the dairy processor interventions.

Some of the key findings were that post-conflict assistance achieved stronger results several years after initial investments, dairy processor interventions achieved greater hard economic targets than farmer interventions from 2005 through 2007, and that the market was more influential than farmer investments. Also, Mr. Aaronson emphasized that a holistic value chain approach is necessary in any post-conflict strategy.