The purpose of the new soybean value chain research (svcr) innovation lab (IL) is to facilitate the development and dissemination of evidence-based technologies and practices for widespread adoption…

The purpose of the new soybean value chain research (svcr) innovation lab (IL) is to facilitate the development and dissemination of evidence-based technologies and practices for widespread adoption and build the capacity of public-private partners across SOY market systems in sub-saharan africa (SSA). Soybean produced by african countries is 1% of the total world production and the domestic need for food and feed is met by importing over four million metric tons (MT) of soybean grain and its products. Soybean grain yield (around 1 MT/HA) is 39% lower than world average and 68% lower than that of the USA. Constraints that contribute to such low yields are a) biotic and abiotic stresses, b) narrow germplasm adapted to tropical environments, c) limited access to quality seeds for farmers including financing, d) inadequate agronomic practices, e) absence of small-scale farm mechanization, and f) inadequate market linkages. Key results or outcomes expected are: a) SOY breeding programs of national agriculture research systems (nars) and cgiar in SSA modernized and use new tools and methods to resolve biotic and abiotic stresses, b) improved soybean varieties with enhanced grain yield (genetic gain) developed and deployed, c) improved SOY management practices developed and input bundling for different production systems generated, d) affordable small-scale farm mechanization, e) enhanced SOY utilization for food and feed, f) economic impact of soybean known for selected FTF countries, and g) SOY public-private research for development (R4D) networks strengthened. This program is designed to identify and launch a new feed the future innovation lab focused on soybean value chain research and capacity development at the smallholder and food-feed systems levels. (1) award structure the feed the future innovation lab for soybean value chain research (ftfil svcr) will be a five-year leader with associates cooperative agreement, awarded to a U.S. University to develop a sub-saharan africa (SSA) portfolio of SOY research-for-development (R4D) activities and scale technologies through effective public-private partnerships. The award's total estimated amount (tea) allows a maximum award ceiling of $30,000,000, structured as follows: a $10,000,000 leader award will support the successful US university applicant to act as the management entity (me) of the svcr innovation lab. In this capacity, the awardee's primary responsibility shall be to develop, select, and manage a portfolio of soybean value chain research and capacity-development activities. The leader award is intended to support management entity (me) costs associated with managing and implementing the portfolio of svcr innovation lab activities, with a majority of leader award funds to be allocated to sub-awarded research and capacity development activities. These sub-awards may include a mix of competitively procured activities and commissioned (i.e. non-competed) activities. Some funds may also be reserved by the me to facilitate research, training, workshops, conferences, and meetings for the purpose of professional development of students and researchers associated with the innovation lab. $20,000,000 of potential additional funding may be awarded noncompetitively by USAID field missions or other offices, to support additional activities that fall within the technical scope of the award. This may include: a maximum of $10,000,000 in potential associate awards a maximum of $10,000,000 in potential buy-INS (2) program