Podravka and Development Alternatives Inc. sign technical assistance and cooperation agreement

Željko Đurđina, deputy president of the Management Board and Joe L. Welsh, head of the representative office of Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), signed an annual technical assistance and cooperation agreement in Koprivnica. William Jeffers, director of the USAID Mission to Croatia, also signed the agreement in the role of witness. The signing of the agreement took place at the joint working meeting attended by the representatives of Podravka’s subcontractors who will draw direct benefits from the mentioned project.

Cooperation on a joint project is based on building the production capacities of Podravka’s subcontractors with the aim of increasing the quality and value of products and services, reducing imports of food to Croatia, and creating new sales channels. DAI will provide technical assistance to Podravka’s subcontractors in the Vegetables, Gastronomic, and Meats Programme.

The professional and technical assistance provided by DAI on the project related to the Vegetables Programme will deal with the planning, implementation and control of the pilot irrigation project in individual counties, the production of different irrigation models according to production technologies for individual cultures, as well as professional training of producers in the use of new technologies.

As part of the Gastronomic Programme, expert visits will be organised to companies dealing with similar activities, as well as meetings with their experts aiming at an exchange of experiences. Assistance in the Meats Programme will be provided for improving production and managing a pig raising farm in order to increase competitiveness by reducing costs, for building grain and oilseed storage and drying capacities, as well as for drawing up a development plan.