NavigationArts Deploys New Web site for USAID Afghanistan Program

MCLEAN, VA — September 01, 2004 — The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today launched a new web site for their “Rebuilding Agricultural Markets Program” aimed at improving the rural economy in Afghanistan. The site was designed and developed for Chemonics International by NavigationArts.

Afghanistan’s rural areas have been devastated by 25 years of civil strife, leaving families unable to feed themselves or purchase food with daily wages of less than US$1. Funded by the USAID, RAMP is a three-year program designed to address these issues by both increasing agricultural productivity and household incomes, using Afghanistan’s rural resource base as the engine for achieving sustained economic growth.

The new RAMP web site, ramp-af.com, has been developed to more effectively communicate the mission, vision, and values of the RAMP Program. In addition, the web site serves to update stakeholders on the latest developments in the program, increase public awareness of RAMP and its role on behalf of USAID in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and provide a clearinghouse for accurate, timely information on agriculture market development in Afghanistan. Using the site as a communications channel, RAMP interacts with a wide range of target audiences, ranging from government officials and policymakers in the U.S. and Afghanistan, to farmers, to processors and marketers. It also helps communicate progress in Afghanistan to audiences in the U.S. and the international donor community.

Chemonics International is a global consulting firm promoting economic growth and higher living standards in developing countries for almost 30 years. With offices on five continents and over 1,200 employees, Chemonics International is one of the world's largest firms focusing exclusively on international development.

NavigationArts (navigationarts.com) is a strategic consultancy providing expert advisory, design and development services that optimize the online user experience for their clients’ Internet applications to drive business value for marketing, communications and commerce.