Certain sectors of the agricultural industry are experiencing a “less impressive” growth rate than anticipated by the Obama Administration, which is stepping in to spark that growth. And it doing so in Uganda, where its Commodity Production and Marketing campaign aims to “sustainably increase the production and marketing of quality maize, beans, and coffee” in that African nation.
The administration last year devised a plan to cut Ugandan poverty in half, while also reducing other social ills, such as the frequency of cattle raiding across the country. As U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor reported last year, “Plan Uganda” will cost American taxpayers $3.5 billion from 2011-2015.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a Statement of Work, or SOW, that this latest project—which is connected with the administration’s broader Feed the Future initiative—will help achieve USAID/Uganda’s development goal of achieving “Economic growth from agriculture and the natural resource base increased in selected areas and population groups.”
Despite continued U.S. assistance to Uganda’s agricultural sector over the past two decades, the industry continues to struggle, for instance, with creating efficient regional distribution systems as well as producing quality corn and maize, the SOW acknowledged.
Among some of those programs were:
- Investment in the Development of Export Agriculture (IDEA) project (1993 to 2004);
- Rural Savings Promotion & Enhancement of Enterprise Development project (2004 and 2007);
- Strengthening the Competitiveness of Private Enterprise project (2003 to 2006);
- Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Program (APEP) (2003-2008).
- Current USAID/Uganda projects include:
- Livelihoods and Enterprises for Agricultural Development (LEAD) project (2008-2013);
The Commodity Production and Marketing activity said it will achieve its objectives by:
- increasing crop productivity (increase in yields, reduction of production costs, and reduction of post-harvest losses);
- increasing the availability and effectiveness of support services (financial, advisory, market information, and other production and marketing services);
- strengthening inter-actor relationships for more effective movement of products and information between buyers and sellers; and:
- increasing access to competitive markets (domestic, regional and international).
The selected vendor also must takes steps to educate Ugandans about climate change and gender equality, according to the SOW.
The endeavor will cost about $23 million over five years. Contractor proposals are due Oct. 5.
Source document: Solicitation #SOL-617-12-000020(1).
FOR ADDITIONAL REGIONAL COVERAGE, SEE THE MONITOR'S AFRICA PAGE.
FOR FURTHER COVERAGE OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S USAID PAGE.
ALSO SEE THE MONITOR'S FOOD & NUTRITION PAGE.
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