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Explore the program overview, key strategic changes, FAS structure, OCBD mission, and important issues for fiscal year 2009 as presented by key members. Discover the roles, policies, and initiatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in agricultural development and capacity building.
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Foreign Agricultural Service Programming for Fiscal Year 2009 As Presented by Members of the Office of Capacity Building and Development Foreign Agricultural Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday, April 14, 2008 1
Introductions and Agenda • Welcome Ron Croushorn, Director, Food Assistance Division • USDA’s Development Strategy Pat Sheikh, Deputy Administrator, Office of Capacity Building and Development • Program Overview Babette Gainor, Deputy Director, Food Assistance Division • Fiscal Year 2009 Food for Progress Debbie Pfaff, Senior Analyst, Food for Development • Fiscal Year 2009 Food for Education Cristina Fundeneanu, Acting Branch Chief, School Feeding and Humanitarian Assistance • Evaluating Food Aid Programs Brenda Freeman, Director, Monitoring and Evaluation Staff • Questions and Answers 2
USDA’s Development Strategy Presented by Patricia Sheikh, Deputy Administrator, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service
Role ofthe Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Development • Primarily responsible for USDA’s international activities • Support trade-capacity building and creating new markets • Provide food aid and technical assistance to foreign countries • Help increase income and food availability in developing nations
Key Strategic Changes in FAS • Greater emphasis on: • Trade negotiations • Enforcement of trade agreements • Management of bilateral relationships • Trade-capacity building • Special emphasis on sanitary and phytosanitary issues • Shift from implementing individual projects to supporting and coordinating international activities throughout USDA
New FAS Structure Policy Programs Operations
Office of Capacity Building and Development (OCBD) Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Food for Development Rural Develop- ment and Natural Resources Cochran Fellowship Program Regulatory and Policy Capacity Building School Feeding and Humanitarian Assistance Post-Conflict and Disaster Assistance Scientific Exchanges Science and Technology Capacity Building Transportation and Logistics Agricultural Market Systems
OCBD Mission OCBD advances international agricultural trade and U.S. national security by strengthening the institutions and economies of developing countries through trade capacity building and agricultural development Lebanon
Our Approach • OCBD brings many tools into one area, creating an integrated approach • Our activities allow us to play an enhanced role in meeting U.S. national security objectives • Reconstruction and stabilization will continue to be a part of the international landscape • Working to rebuild weakened states helps address U.S. security concerns Honduras
Food Assistance Division • Food assistance is often the first step in meeting humanitarian and development needs • USDA assistance focuses on nutrition, agricultural development, and education FAS Administrator Michael Yost visiting a school in East Africa
Program Overview Presented by Babette Gainor, Deputy Director, Food Assistance Division, OCBD
Farm Bill Reauthorization of programs Anticipated budgets Food for Education: $100 million Food for Progress: $40 million for transportation Commodity and freight prices Food aid quality USDA/USAID funded project Potential changes in regulations Important Issues for FY 2009 13
Overall Program Elements • Program timeline • Applying for the programs • Guidelines • Program complements • Multi-year agreements 14
Proposal Submissions • Apply online at: www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid.asp • Follow program guidance • Provide a proposal rating if multiple proposals are submitted 16
Program Management • Timely reporting • Refocusing of resources on servicing and monitoring implementation of agreements • Increased use of multi-year agreements with enhanced flexibility • Customer service 17
Food Aid Development Training • Training sessions will begin in late May 2008 • Training topics will include: • Proposal writing and agreement negotiations • Food aid commodity facts • Shipping guidelines • Program implementation • Closeout procedures • Dates for the training will be announced at the end of April 2008, via the food aid website - www.fas.usda.gov
Food for Progress Presented by Debbie Pfaff, Senior Analyst, Food for Development Branch Food Assistance Division, OCBD
Food for Progress • Overview • Resources • Priority countries • Proposal review Bolivia
Food for Progress • Food for Progress Act of 1985 • Targets developing countries and emerging democracies • Supports democracy and expansion of private enterprise in the agricultural sector Jamaica
Food for Progress • Most agreements are implemented with PVOs and foreign governments • Commodities are usually monetized • Commodities are also used for: • Barter • Food for work • Direct distribution Burkina Faso
Food for Progress ProjectsPrimary emphasis is agricultural development • Soil and water conservation • Improved farming methods • Agricultural extension • Animal and plant health • Processing, storage and marketing • Roads and other infrastructure • Cooperative development • Micro-credit and business training Armenia
Food for Progress • Policy-related activities: • Promote science-based sanitary and phytosanitary standards • Trade-capacity building • Improve market channels • Complementary activities: • HIV/AIDS awareness • Nutrition training • Land mine removal Mozambique
104 Received 95 PVOs 3 UN World Food Program 6 governments 36 countries Total value $1.08 billion 13 Approved (as of 4/04/08) One government and 12 PVO programs approved Total value $129 million Food for Progress FY 2008 Proposals
Food for Progress – FY 2009Expected Resources • $40 million cap on transportation costs • $35 million available for new FY 09 awards • No restriction on commodity cost • $15 million for administrative costs • No new P.L. 480, Title I funding
Priority Country Determination • Per capita incomes below $3,595 (World Bank) and population > 1,000,000 • Net food importer with > 20% of the population undernourished (FAO) • Positive movement in political rights or civil liberties (Freedom House) • USDA Post coverage and ability to monitor agreements • No concerns with security, market, or capacity issues
Food for Progress Priority Country DeterminationOther Factors Considered Countries added (within two points of malnutrition cut-off): • Philippines • Uganda
22 Food for Progress Countries Meeting All Criteria/Other Factors Afghanistan Bangladesh Bolivia Dominican Republic Ethiopia Guatemala Honduras Kenya Liberia Madagascar Malawi Mali Mongolia Mozambique Namibia Nicaragua Niger Philippines Senegal Tanzania Uganda Yemen
Two-Year Priority Country Lists • USDA reviewed the list of priority countries and divided it over two years to provide: • More focused priorities for both USDA and applicants • Activity within agreement portfolio • Countries with less activity in FY 2009 list • Countries that received programs in FY 2007 & FY 2008 moved to FY 2010 • Facilitates longer-term planning for PVOs
Afghanistan Bangladesh Dominican Republic Ethiopia Malawi Mali Namibia Philippines Senegal Uganda Yemen Food for Progress Priority Countries for Solicitation in FY 2009
Afghanistan Bolivia Guatemala Honduras Kenya Liberia Madagascar Mongolia Mozambique Nicaragua Niger Tanzania 2010 Food for ProgressPriority Countries* *subject to change
Proposal Review Criteria • Agricultural focus (30%) • Commodity management and appropriateness (20%) • Organizational capability and related experience (20%) • Proposal quality (15%) • Ability to quantify program impact(15%)
Key Sections of Proposals It is essential that all sections be clear and complete, but especially these: • Introductory statement • Section 5(a) – Activity objectives • Section 5(b) – Method of choosing beneficiaries • Section 5(h) – Criteria for measuring progress • Section 6(e) – Uses of sales proceeds
Food for Progress Targeting And Proposal Impact *Baseline data to be provided during agreement negotiation
Food for ProgressCommon Proposal Weaknesses • Limited agricultural focus • Objectives and program implementation not clearly defined • Weak progress measures/outcomes • High cost per beneficiary compared to outcomes • Lack of coordination with Embassy/Government • Commodity/monetization issues • Proposal is incomplete, inconsistent or does not follow format
Food for Progress Jamaica Bolivia
Food for Education Presented by Cristina Fundeneanu, Acting Branch Chief, School Feeding & Humanitarian Branch, Food Assistance Division, OCBD
Food for Education • Overview • Resources • Priority countries • Proposal review Guinea Bissau
Food for Education • Supports education, child development, and food security • Targets low-income and food-deficit countries • Encourages health and nutrition complements • Strives for sustainability Senegal
FY 2008 Program Awards • 67 proposals received; valued at $1.8 B • 11 proposals funded; valued at $48 M • Four new programs • 10 multi-year agreements Albania