Empowering Women in Business - Chemonics International

Starting with a small plot of unused land, Amra Ugarak has become one of the most productive raspberry farmers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

When Amra Ugarak started cultivating the underused land plot that had been in her husband’s family for years, she had no idea that she would become one of the most productive raspberry farmers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, producing 5.5 tons of raspberries on 0.2 hectares in one year.

“I was not a farmer, I was a housewife. My daughters were grown up and able to take care of themselves, so I had some free time on my hands and had to employ myself with something.” Mrs. Ugarak employed herself with berry farming, finding what she calls a “creative hobby.”

Becoming a berry farmer was not easy. Her land had not been cultivated for a long time. Although she was dedicated and well-organized, she was starting from scratch. Mrs. Ugarak says that community members were skeptical of her becoming a farmer in the beginning, but she laughed it off. “People here are traditional and do not expect this from an inexperienced housewife, but once you prove to be successful, they will come to you for advice, and you become someone they look up to as their role model!”

To improve her operations, she applied for a small loan from the Fostering Agricultural Markets Activity project, a partnership of USAID, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and Chemonics. She also received technical training from an expert onsite agronomist.

Mrs. Ugarak’s peers recognized her success. The Independent Association of Agricultural Producers of Upper Vrbas Region voted her the Best Raspberry Farmer for 2010.

Rather than resting on her successes, Mrs. Ugarak is dedicated to improving her business. She uses every opportunity to gain additional information through training and knowledge-sharing. Accordingly, she is working with the project to prepare her berry farm for GlobalGAP implementation, an international farm assurance program that translates consumer requirements into practice. She runs a successful family project that now involves her husband and both daughters. She even hires 10 to 12 additional workers to help with harvesting. For Mrs. Ugarak, berry growing has become a way of life and an integral part of her family’s and community’s livelihoods.

The project improves competitiveness among agricultural producers and agribusinesses by expanding production, processing, and sales. Through training and small loans, it works to empower women like Mrs. Ugarak to grow their businesses and compete better in the international market. The project has actively sought to include women in its activities, and as of February 2013, more than 3,900 women have taken part in training events.