Deadline: 17 February 2016
The United States Agency for International Development in Bangladesh (USAID/Bangladesh) is seeking applications from qualified US and Non-US organisations to fund the activity titled the Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversify Crops Activity.
The Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops (RDC) activity will improve small-holder rice and rotation crop productivity and market system competitiveness by using facilitation and market systems approaches to catalyze systemic changes through partnerships with the private sector and local actors.
The RDC activity will increase rural incomes by facilitating a process of transformation in agriculture that includes increased productivity, intensification and diversification. RDC’s approach to intensification and diversification must go beyond discrete interventions that link farmers to a private company, a new technology, or a source of financing. Rather, RDC must focus on a transformation process that involves changes in how the rice market system and complementary crops within rice cropping cycle are structured.
Objective and Expected Outcomes
The main objective of RDC is to improve food security through systemic changes that increase rural incomes. RDC will achieve this objective by means of two high level results:
- Improved smallholder productivity for rice and other select complementary crops within the rice cropping cycle.
- Strengthened competitiveness of market systems for rice and selected crops, while expanding the depth and breadth of benefits.
Priority Areas
- Facilitating changes in the market systems for rice and other selected crops that lead to improved competitiveness including value addition;
- Facilitating systemic change that leads to increased intensification of rice production and diversification into higher value, nutrient-rich and/or soil enriching crops that, in turn, leads to increased rural incomes;
- Identifying crop diversification options that can increase incomes, preferably while improving nutrition and/or natural resource management (i.e. water and soil health);
- Facilitating the commercialization of new and appropriate technologies and practices related to productivity and post-harvest management;
- Addressing the constraints in the rice seed system, including strategies for addressing new seed systems constraints as new crops (pulses, oil seeds, etc.) are selected;
- Improving farmers’ and other market system actors’ access to knowledge and information to increase their productivity and diversification;
- Improving access to financial services in a way that contributes to achieving expected outcomes; and
- Integrating rather than “stove-piping” the following cross cutting issues into market systems development:
- Gender and women’s empowerment,
- Youth engagement,
- Nutrition-sensitive interventions
- Climate-smart agriculture.
Grant Information: USAID intends to provide up to $24,500,000 in total funding over a five year period.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be non-governmental U.S. and non U.S. entities and individuals, otherwise there is no restriction.
- Entities such as non-profit organizations, profit making concerns, Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs), Public International Organizations (PIOs), faith-based and community organizations, educational institutions, etc. are eligible to submit concept notes.
- Potential New Implementing Partners: In support of the Agency‘s interest in fostering a larger assistance base and expanding the number and sustainability of development partners, USAID/Bangladesh encourages applications from potential new implementing partners
- Pre-award Risk Assessment: the applicant must possess, or have the ability to obtain, the necessary management and technical competence to conduct the proposed program. The applicant must agree to practice mutually agreed-upon methods of accountability for funds and other assets provided or funded by USAID.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can submit their applications electronically via email at the address given on the website.
For more information, please visit USAID/Bangladesh.
