BACKGROUND

USAID’s Private Sector Development Project (PSD) was a four-year, $4.16 million activity to strengthen private sector firms in 12 municipalities in the economically lagging regions of south and south-west Serbia.  The project was a direct partnership with the Government of Serbia and is implemented by the government’s Development Agency of Serbia (DAS) through its network of Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).  The RDAs will help growth-oriented companies and business clusters increase sales and exports and create jobs.  

ACTIVITIES

Through PSD, USAID provides DAS and the RDAs assistance that improves their program management, monitoring and evaluation, and market assessment capabilities.  This in turn allows DAS and the RDAs to support private sector development by working with businesses in high-potential sectors, helping the businesses to:

• Understand and serve local/regional markets better;
• Improve the quality of existing and traditional products, as well as develop new ones;
• Lower their cost of production;
• Broaden the network of suppliers, increasing the profitability and size of their operations. 

RESULTS

• One hundred and eighty-four small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and eight associations/clusters benefited from various forms of project assistance – including entrepreneurship training, mentoring, grants for the purchase of equipment, and participation at international trade fairs;
• Entrepreneurship training was provided to 380 beneficiaries, of whom180 were women and youth;
• Seventy-one youth and women-owned SMEs received grants to purchase equipment totaling more than $761,000—helping them to grow and be more competitive;
• Eighty SMEs traveled to and exhibited at 16 International trade fairs—leading to sales contracts worth approximately $670,000, while 71.6 percent of SMEs entered new markets;  
• Eight new business services were introduced for client SMEs that helped them maximize their participation in and use of international trade fairs to attract new clients and foreign investment;
• Eighty-two client SMEs adopted new international standards—enabling their products to enter new markets.
• Project activities resulted in the creation of 487 full-time jobs and 159 part-time jobs.

Project funded by:

U.S. Agency for International Development; USAID/Serbia

Project implemented by:

DAS and RDAs in Zlatibor, Novi Pazar, Kraljevo, Leskovac.

Key counterparts:

Small and medium – size enterprises (SMEs), associations, clusters, youth and women owned businesses, others.

Where we work:

Twelve cities and municipalities: Novi Pazar, Sjenica, Tutin, Priboj, Prijepolje, Nova Varoš, Raška, Vranje, Leskovac, Medveđa, Preševo, and Bujanovac.

Total amount: 

$4,159,987 

Project duration:

July 2013 to December 2017

Contact:

RAS Belgrade Office
Resavska 13-15, 11000 Belgrade
Phone: +381-11 3398 510
Fax:     +381-11 3398 550
E-mail:  office@ras.gov.rs
Website: www.ras.gov.rs