The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for an Assistance Agreement for funding to support a program entitled “Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Program II (RDCP II)”.
USAID/Rwanda intends to provide support for a program under the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future (FtF) Initiative. The goal of the FtF, “to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger” aligns with the Government of Rwanda’s (GOR) goal under the Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture II, commonly referred to as PSTA II, which is “to increase output of all types of agriculture products with emphasis on export products, which have high potential and create large amounts of rural employment; this under sustainable modes of production.”
The RDCP II aims to reduce poverty through expanded marketing of quality milk that generates income and employment, and improves nutrition of rural households. The RDCPII will achieve its poverty-reducing impact by linking existing and new smallholder dairy producers to expanding market demand driven by improved quality, reduced transaction costs and increased investment all along the dairy value chain.
Quantities and quality of raw milk as it reaches processors and consumers largely determines the competitiveness of a dairy industry. The RDCP II will foster upgrading all along the dairy value chain that results in higher quality raw milk reaching processors and consumers at stable or lower cost per liter. The upgrading process will involve investment and improved management practices at key points along the value chain, from smallholder producer to milk cooling centers (MCC) and milk transporters. Progress in improving the competitive position of Rwanda’s dairy industry will be measured by tracking volumes, costs and contaminant loads of milk delivered to processors.
The specific objective of the PSTA II is to:
“Increase output of all types of agriculture products with emphasis on potentially exportable products that create significant rural employment under sustainable modes of production.”
Program Goals and Objectives
Drawing from the PSTA II and USAID\Rwanda’s FtF Initiative goals, RDCP II’s objectives will
contribute to enhance agriculture sector growth and reduced poverty and hunger through targeted investments in selected dairy value chain activities. Also, RDCP II will contribute to the FtF strategic objective of “increase of expenditures of smallholders’ households.”
To balance RDCP II’s and FtF’s growth and poverty goals, the RDCP II must offer a pathway that moves the dairy sector toward a vision of sustainable improvements that:
– Ensures an enabling environment to support the growth and regional competitiveness of the dairy value chain. The RDCP II will deal with broad policy issues as well as more focused actions that impact dairy sector productivity and access to investment;
– Fosters dairy value chain growth and competitiveness that benefit men and women smallholders; and
– Addresses the needs of chronically vulnerable populations by ensuring they are included as Project beneficiaries.
Last date for receiving the applications is August 15, 2011
For more information and details, please visit this link and search the Funding Opportunity Number RFA-696-11-000003
