We plan to cover a number of countries over a period of time and provide snapshots of the situation. Naturally, we start with those that are currently of interest to us.

 

 

 

 

We have a particular interest in ACP countries due to experience in the regions but also because Vinay was Team Leader for the Mission that prepared what is now known as the EU ACP All Commodities Programme.

 

 

For many years, Vinay worked with Bangladesh mainly concerned with jute, but this has broadened by now to rural development and further still to development projects in general. The latest assignment was to supervise large teams of local Consultants who undertook sector reviews and surveys on 7 sectors:

 

                              Seeds

                              Agribusiness

                              Poultry

                              Garmenting

                              Washing and Dyeing

                              Electricals

                              Foundries

 

We have also a 10 year long advocacy programme on arsenic remediation in the country.

 

 

 

The main theme of commitment in Cambodia has been Export Led Agricultural Diversification but we have also worked on the Smallholder Rubber Programme and preparing intervention subject areas for AusAid. It has been an interesting experience and we are now interested in all the main agricultural sectors and sub-sectors including rice, maize, cassava, coconuts, oil palm, rubber, horticulture and cashew nuts.

 

 

 

 

 

We have always been interested in egypt having previously undertaken market research in the country but were involved again in 2009 on leading a Mission for Trades Needs Assessment. It was an interesting experience with some high flying Egyptian technocarts coming up against some sceptical EU bureaucrats. Not an unusual situation in the development business.

 

 

 

A mainly desk exercise but we have also worked in the country on two occassions on coconuts and fruit and vegetables.