RFI_Climate Resilient Agricultural Market Systems Activity_09.12.2023_final.pdf

Request for Informa�on (RFI) #72026323RFI00002

Ac�vity: Climate Resilient Agricultural Market Systems Ac�vity

Issuance Date: September 12, 2023

Response Date: October 3, 2023 at 15:00 Cairo Local Time

Response emails: sgries@usaid.gov and sboulis@usaid.gov

To All Development and Private Sector Partners and Members of the Development Community

The United States Agency for Interna�onal Development in Egypt (USAID/Egypt) is in the process of designing a new mul�year ac�vity to increase the capacity, sustainable produc�vity, and incomes of key stakeholders in Egypt’s agriculture market systems. Specifically, this project seeks to create a set of complementary ac�vi�es that; (a) promote Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA); (b) improve the enabling environment for sustainable agriculture and food security; and (c) enhance the capacity of Business Development Service (BDS) providers for Greater Inclusive Economic Growth.

This is a Request for Informa�on (RFI), providing public informa�on to par�es interested in USAID’s support in Egypt, and seeks to collect any informa�on and sugges�ons about USAID’s planned programming. Informa�on collected is intended to contribute to the Mission’s ac�vity design and development for an intended future Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Applica�on (RFA).

USAID/Egypt is only seeking any feedback on the a�ached document. Please note that USAID/Egypt is not seeking technical or cost proposals/applica�ons at this �me. Responses to this no�ce are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or assistance agreement. Responses to this RFI are voluntary and USAID/Egypt will not pay respondents for any informa�on provided in response to this RFI. If a future RFP/RFA is issued, it will be announced on www.SAM.gov or www.grants.gov at a later date.

Please note that responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any organiza�on or individual in any subsequent compe��on. Responses may be used by USAID without restric�on or limita�on, therefore proprietary informa�on should not be sent. While we welcome any comments you may have, we ask that if you choose to respond, that you address the issues/ques�ons in the a�ached document.

Please limit responses to seven (7) pages and include your organiza�on’s name, address, point of contact, and email address. Please do not submit applica�ons, proposals, resumes or promo�onal materials, as they will be discarded. The submission shall be wri�en in English and typed on standard 8 1/2" x 11" paper, single spaced, font size 12 with each page numbered consecu�vely.

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1A Nady El Etisalat Street (off Laselki) New Maadi, Cairo, Egypt Postal Code11435

(2-02) 2522-7000 cairomedia@usaid.gov usaid.gov/egypt | #usaidegypt | @usaidegypt mailto:sgries@usaid.gov mailto:sboulis@usaid.gov http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

Please send all responses to this RFI via email to Seham Gries and Sandra Boulis at the emails and date indicated above with the �tle “ 72026323RFI00002 ”. You will receive a confirma�on acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive individualized feedback on any comments or sugges�ons.

Ques�ons regarding this RFI will not be answered. A�er USAID reviews and considers any responses, a decision will be made regarding whether and how to proceed with a new ac�vity.

Thank you for your assistance and interest in USAID/Egypt programs.

Sincerely, Ma�hew Courtad Contrac�ng & Agreements Officer Email : mcourtad@usaid.gov

A�achment: Ac�vity Overview and List of Ques�ons mailto:mcourtad@usaid.gov

A�achment: Ac�vity Overview and List of Ques�ons Climate Resilient Agricultural Market Systems Ac�vity

I. INTRODUCTION

USAID/Egypt seeks to increase the capacity, sustainable produc�vity, and incomes of key stakeholders in Egypt’s agriculture market systems. Specifically, this project seeks to create a set of complementary ac�vi�es that; (a) promote Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA); (b) improve the enabling environment for sustainable agriculture and food security; and (c) enhance the capacity of Business Development Service (BDS) providers for Greater Inclusive Economic Growth.

II. BACKGROUND

USAID has partnered with Egypt to enhance its agricultural sector for more than 40 years, inves�ng more than $1.4 billion in U.S. assistance. USAID has provided technical assistance to more than 500,000 Egyp�an smallholder farmers to improve their farm management techniques and increase access to financial services.

The purpose of a future USAID/Egypt agriculture ac�vity will be to transform the agriculture and food system toward sustainable produc�on, economic growth and efficient climate resilience prac�ces.

This includes promo�ng CSA, advancing climate smart approaches and technologies, and increasing private sector market linkages for greater inclusive economic growth in Egypt. The ac�vity will aim to strengthen Egypt’s agricultural market system, including the ability of farmers, enterprises, BDS providers and organiza�ons to expand their opera�ons sustainably. This will give them the opportunity to eventually operate independently of direct USAID or other development partner assistance. This involves building a sustainable agricultural system focused on business-to-business rela�onships that embraces mutual benefit among farmer-producers, financial ins�tu�ons, transporter-collectors, aggregators, input suppliers, wholesalers-retailers, processors, waste recyclers, and community-based entrepreneurs or organiza�ons, collec�vely referred to as market system actors.

III. OVERALL ACTIVITY GOAL/OBJECTIVE

The proposed purpose of a future USAID/Egypt agriculture ac�vity will be to improve climate resilient agricultural market systems with specific intermediate results (IR).

Purpose : Improved Climate Resilient Agricultural Market Systems Intermediate Result (IR) 1: Improved sustainable produc�vity of small-farmers Intermediate Result (IR) 2: Strengthened role of market-driven services providers Intermediate Result (IR) 3: Improved enabling environment for agriculture and food security

Cross Cu�ng (CC):

CC IR 1: Increased gender equality and female and youth empowerment CC IR 2: Enhanced integra�on of digital technologies

IV. INFORMATION REQUESTED

USAID/Egypt is specifically interested in responses to the following ques�ons:

1. Are the proposed objec�ves/intermediate results clear and realis�c? If some are not clear and/or realis�c, please provide detailed sugges�ons.

2. Iden�fy the opportuni�es that exist in Egypt for wide-scale adop�on of innova�ve and affordable approaches to climate-smart agriculture, specifically to mi�gate and adapt to climate change while increasing produc�vity and economic return?

3. What role can the private sector and BDS providers play in providing technical capacity building and extension/advisory services to Egyp�an farmers, producers and processors?

What support, if any, would the private sector need to meet the unmet demand for these services?

4. Elaborate on opportuni�es for expanding the market system approach to include smallholder farmers in the agriculture sector in Egypt. What are the poten�al barriers and how can we best address them?

5. What opportuni�es exist to best address gender and age dispari�es and differing needs and preferences between men and women, with the goal of empowering the greatest number of women and youth within the agricultural sector in Egypt?

6. What opportuni�es exist to address specific nutri�onal issues at scale within the agriculture and food systems in Egypt?

7. Please add any other sugges�ons (including policies and regula�ons), research and/or innova�on needed for scaling climate-resilient agricultural market systems in Egypt.