The GIZ ‚Private Sector Development and Employment Promotion‘ (PSD) Project is supporting the development and piloting of business models in sectors with a strong potential for new job creation. As part of this workstream, the GIZ PSD project has launched the project entitled: “Entrepreneurship program for start-up and MSME Development, innovation and job creation in the agribusiness sector”, which aims at helping to incentivize and drive innovation by strengthening MSMEs in Iraq (Baghdad and Basra), supporting the strengthening of entrepreneurial and innovation culture of the country and promoting targeted potential entrepreneurs/MSME owners training that will equip these young people with the necessary skills required by the Iraqi economy to grow competitively and prosper. The project’s Target Group (TG) should, through linking with the private sector, reckon innovating VCs to unlock the innovative growth potential of the Iraqi economy.

The general objective of this project is to strengthen the private sector development and enhance the potential for growth in the sector by creating and developing innovative business approaches that will be successful as a real business. We are targeting to activate local market dynamics that lead to

• the establishment of entrepreneurs and new specialized start-ups and
• provides new innovative business activities for already established local, thereby generating inspiring new job opportunities for young male and female engineers and technicians that contribute to healthy and hygienic as well as environmental sound agribusiness in the region.

The project approach pursues with the use of a bottom-up approach to find niches and segments for potentially successful business activities and to give young professionals prospects for an innovative start-up or employment in an established agribusiness company. Young adults and participants from MSME will be selected, trained, and guided to generate and develop innovative approaches that do address local problems or demands in the agribusiness value chain.

The assignment encompasses tailor-made business development and technical trainings to help developing entrepreneurial projects and ultimately create new job opportunities. Access to this training is also allowed to small- and medium companies as well as start-ups.

The participants will gain fundamental technical and economical knowledge for own business plan developments in the agribusiness sector.

The operations of this assignment focus on agribusiness entrepreneurship and innovation interventions.