The objective of this project is to conduct impact evaluation of Agro-based Industries and Technology Development Project-Phase II (ATDP-II). Primary funding for the project is provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Some local funds are provided by the Government of Bangladesh (GOB). These funds are derived from the interest generated from the Agriculture Credit Fund, a $21 million US credit facility initially created with USAID funds. The project is managed by The Louis Berger Group, Inc., a private US business and economic development consulting company. Project partners are Cargill Technical Services (a branch of Cargill Inc., the world's largest private agribusiness company) and Land O' Lakes, the largest cooperative in the United States . Developing competitiveness is the imperative that serves as the basis for the project's goal of promoting the growth of privately owned agribusiness that can succeed in an open, competitive market environment. The project's objectives are to: Provide direct enterprise assistance to selected agribusinesses; Strengthen key financial and non-financial agribusiness support institutions; Achieve improvements in relevant policies, laws, regulations and standards through both government-level and industry-level interventions. Economically the project is charged with: Increasing domestic agribusiness sales by US $154 million; and Increasing export sales by US $59 million.

Functioning as a consulting firm, ATDP-II provides consultation and training in areas such as pre-investment studies, writing business plans, marketing, sales, financing, market research, troubleshooting and management. Entrepreneurs pay for these services on a cost-sharing basis. Business is conducted throughout the country with Agribusiness Centers of Excellence in Dhaka, Khulna , Chittagong , Bogra and Sylhet. Extensive discussions have also been held with the Ministries of Commerce, Fisheries and Livestock, Finance, the Export Promotion Board, and others in government. A meeting with the major buyers, trade associations and NGO's in the European Union and the United States has been held. The Seal of Quality unit is working to unite the entire shrimp industry to meet the global certification standards being put in place by these buyers, trade associations and NGOs. The total domestic sales growth created by the clients of ATDP-II in 2002 is US $48 million, of which US $27 million is directly from the clients. The total growth in jobs created by ATDP-II clients in 2002 is 20,610, of which 9,409 come from the clients directly; the rest result from the demand in the supply chain created by the clients.

To conduct impact evaluation of the major accomplishments made so far compared to planned activities and project interventions in the following areas:

• Assess improved institutional strengthening and competitiveness in agribusiness in Grains, Fisheries, Horticulture, Poultry and Dairy etc.
• Assess improvement in institutional strengthening and capacity building of Agribusiness Support Institutions (ASI) and Govt Relations Unit
• Study the need for Market oriented Policies, Laws, Regulations And Industry Standards etc.