USAID/Zimbabwe's Poverty Reduction & Food Security-Livestock Development (PRFS-LD) Program

The development program described in this Statement of Objectives is intended to focus primarily on poor beneficiaries (some beneficiaries may be categorized as being in extreme poverty). The Poverty Reduction and Food Security (PRFS) program targets assistance to four sub-sectors: high value crops, staple food crops, beef cattle, and dairy cattle. The overall objectives of the PRFS Program are to (1) reduce rural poverty and improve food security of targeted smallholder agricultural producers through increased agricultural production, productivity, and market linkages, (2) improve the nutrition and hygiene practices leading to improved nutrition status of beneficiary households, and (3) strengthen local capacity to implement agricultural development programs.

The overarching PRFS Program includes the following four components:
• Component 1: high value crops
• Component 2: staple foods and pulses
• Component 3: beef cattle
• Component 4: dairy cattle

This Statement of Objectives focuses on two components of the PRFS Program: development of the beef and dairy cattle sectors (Components 3 and 4 above). A separate award will be made under the PRFS Program (via a separate funding opportunity for local organizations) for high-value food crops (Component 1 above) and staple foods and pulses (Component 2 above). The organization which implements livestock and dairy development (Components 3 and 4) will also undertake local capacity strengthening with the local awardee and sub-awardees.