Project Goal

To increase the competitiveness of small and medium sized milk and meat processing enterprises in Mongolia.

Project Objective

To increase the competitiveness and improve domestic market access of Mongolian rural milk and meat processing small and medium enterprises through conducting six short-term technical assistance assignments by qualified US volunteers.

Project Focus

• Increase the technical, business management and marketing skill of Mongolian milk and meat processing companies;
• Build and develop dairy and meat supply chains;
• Adopt food safety assurance principles and production quality standards;
• Develop new dairy and meat products;
• Increase productivity and production efficiency;
• Adopt new marketing principles;
• Nationwide focus.

Major Accomplishments to Date

The Farmer to Farmer project is a rural business development support project designed and managed by Mercy Corps with financing from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Weideman Associates Inc. awarded Mercy Corps a grant of $99,994 to “increase of competitiveness of small and medium size milk and meat processing enterprises in Mongolia.” The key component of this project is direct provision of technical assistance to selected dairy and meat businesses to enhance their overall competitiveness.

Direct technical assistance is provided to selected meat and dairy enterprises by US volunteers. Their efforts include consultancies and trainings on technical, business management, and marketing practices of Mongolian milk and meat processing companies serving as market outlets for poor, small-holder Mongolian herders.

Two trainings on marketing of meat and dairy products took place in Ulaanbaatar for 40 rural businesses and local business development service (BDS) providers. Three direct consultancies have been provided by two US volunteers to seven local enterprises in Bayanhongor and Ulaanbaatar in April and May 2011. Four more meat and dairy technology workshops, trainings and advisory services will be offered for project beneficiaries with the help of US volunteers by the end of 2011.

Mercy Corps’ national and aimag teams help organize presentations, workshops and training events during which the volunteers explore specific technical, management and marketing topics, reaching a greater number of participants. This mix of activities improves program outreach to bring in more enterprises and raw material suppliers.

Mercy Corps is producing six short educational videos on marketing and technology of meat and dairy processing enterprises. These videos will serve as teaching material on the subjects addressed with the specific volunteer assignment. Mercy Corps will post these videos and other relevant material on the BDS providers’ networking website www.zuvluh.mn for wide dissemination, thereby reaching multiple beneficiaries and local consultants. These videos will also be shared, with subtitles, with Mercy Corps’ Action Centers Against Hunger.

Upon completion of the assignment, volunteers will present their trip findings and experience at one of Mercy Corps’ two Action Centers Against Hunger in New York City or Portland, Oregon and will also make a presentation at a community group venue at their homes and workplace. Social and learning events are planned around these presentations to raise awareness and leverage funding for private donations or investment into proposed solutions.

Implemented by

Mercy Corps.
24 Peace Avenue, Bayanzurkh District
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Phone: +976-11-461145, Fax: 461048
Website: www.mercycorps.org.mn

Funding

October 2010 – October 2011