Press Release
CNFA Awarded Farmer-to-Farmer Program in Southern Africa
CNFA to continue boosting productivity, incomes through volunteer technical assistance in Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) with a five-year (2023-2028), $8.5 million cooperative agreement to implement the USAID-funded John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program (F2F) in Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The award includes a supplementary associate award mechanism that offers F2F implementers access to additional USAID funding of up to $34 million for related programming or activities. USAID administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.
Since 1992, CNFA has facilitated volunteer assignments under F2F, reaching farmers and agribusinesses in 21 different countries during that time span. Most recently, CNFA implemented the F2F Program in Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe from 2018-2023, supporting over 447 volunteer assignments by collaborating on market-driven solutions that increase agricultural productivity and incomes.
“The longevity of the Program is a testament of the effectiveness of international development in driving global and sustainable collaboration to improve livelihoods and food security,” said Sylvain Roy, CNFA’s president and CEO. “At CNFA, we look forward to continuing the Program with a strong focus on innovation, particularly through partnerships with the USAID-funded Innovation Labs, universities and numerous other program- and country-level partners.”
Under the award, CNFA will work to connect U.S. volunteer experts with farmer groups, agribusinesses, trade associations, agricultural finance providers and other agriculture sector institutions to help strengthen production, develop enterprises, facilitate access to financial services and improve conservation and the sustainable use of environmental and natural resources. This work is reinforced by CNFA’s collaboration with Feed the Future Innovation Labs, U.S. universities and researchers and leaders in the U.S. agribusiness sector, from whom the Program will draw on to incorporate innovative technologies, practices and tools that boost productivity, but also to recruit volunteers with excellent technical expertise. Additionally, the Program will continue its Processor-to-Processor initiative, a collaboration with the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) and Feed the Future Soybean Innovation Lab, which places AOCS members as volunteers to support agro-processors in Southern Africa.
With the overall goal of fostering sustainable, agriculture-led economic growth in Southern Africa, the Program aims to design and carry out 324 volunteer assignments and provide at least 16,600 agricultural stakeholders—of whom the majority will be women—with technical agriculture and agribusiness management support. The Program also expects to work with over 200 agriculture-related organizations, with a projected impact of a $6 million increase in sales and an increase in net incomes by an estimated $2.7 million.
To achieve the F2F Program’s secondary goal of expanding public understanding of development issues, CNFA will continue implementing its strong outreach program initiated during the 2018-2023 cycle. This includes expanding the F2F Ambassador Program, which leverages the expertise of seasoned volunteers to network, engage and encourage individuals and organizations in their communities to join the F2F Program.
Finally, following the success of paired-remote assignments initiated during COVID-19, USAID will also allow U.S. F2F volunteers to collaborate virtually again with local volunteers working in the field to further the Program’s objectives from afar.
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About CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 49 countries around the world.