Under USAID’s Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (USAID/EDMC) project, Pragma helped Armenia’s private sector sustainably transform the competitiveness of four high-potential value chains in high-growth sectors—bio-pharmaceuticals, information technology (IT), food processing, and tourism—which drove major increases in private investment and export growth while expanding employment. 

USAID EDMC achieved this ambitious aim by facilitating the development of a vibrant network of competitive small and medium enterprises (SMEs) within the four value chains. This included providing tailored technical assistance, stimulating innovation, building management capacity, and implementing an innovative grants mechanism. The project successfully enhanced workforce skills in key occupational niches by aligning them more effectively to meet the demands of the private sector; accelerated new enterprise formation; improved sustainable access to finance; and addressed key business environment barriers.

Partner SMEs in the four value chains exceeded export, sales, and job growth targets thanks  to buoyant support from USAID/EDMC-assisted partner financial institutions, which provided more than $20 million in financing and new innovative loan products. The project achieved breakthroughs in reforming the civil aviation sector and instilling international standards across the pharmaceutical and food production industries.