Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Agro-industry, marketing, and trade

The project is aligned with Strategy 2030, which calls for ADB to scale up its financing for agribusiness. The project is also aligned with Operational Plan for Private Sector Operations, 2019 to 2024, which identifies food brands and food retail as a priority segment because of their potential to drive and structure upstream subsectors. The project is consistent with the Strategy 2030's Operational Plan for Priority 1 which calls for generating quality jobs, and Operational Plan for Priority 5, which calls for the production of safe, nutritious, and affordable food. It is also aligned with Strategy 2030's Operational Plan for Priority 2, which seeks to expand operations in support of agribusiness value chains whereby women's jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities will be enhanced in higher value-generating activities. In addition, it is also aligned with Pillar 2 (regional trade and investment) of the Operational Plan for Priority 7 and supports CAREC 2030 in its Operational Cluster D by promoting regional trade in agriculture as Avrora has cross-border trade links with several regional countries.

The project is aligned with ADB's $20 billion COVID-19 response package whereby ADB's Private Sector Operations Department has focused on providing working capital and operation expenditure financing to support continuity of operations of financially strong companies that are facing temporary liquidity issues due to the pandemic. ADB has also been supporting Azerbaijan's Food Safety Agency (AFSA) in strengthening food safety standards in agricultural value chains through its regional KSTA Strengthening International Food Safety Standards in Agricultural Value Chains.

Given the nature of the project, there is limited opportunity to directly include and empower the poor and vulnerable. However, the project is expected to benefit the local population as employment and the supply of basic food products are sustained.