Food for Progress Program Notice of Funding Opportunity Fiscal Year 2026

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The FY20 USDA Food for Progress Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project (BTF) Baseline Evaluation, implemented by Land O’Lakes Venture37 and evaluated by NORC at the University of Chicago, assesses the current state of Bangladesh’s trade facilitation framework. The project aims to help the Government of Bangladesh implement WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement measures through five key activities: harmonizing processes, increasing transparency, strengthening risk management, improving laboratories, and enhancing cold storage. This baseline report establishes pre-intervention values for key indicators, documents stakeholder views, and evaluates institutional capacities. Findings confirm strong alignment with USDA, GoB, and private sector priorities, with a high likelihood of achieving project targets by 2030, the indicative implementation date for relevant WTO provisions. The evaluation utilizes a mixed-methods approach, including quasi-experimental designs, to measure the project's impact at system, institution, and program participant levels. Initial recommendations focus on entrusting NBR Customs as lead for automation, incorporating transaction modules into the National Single Window, and incentivizing private participation in certification processes.

The FY20 USDA Food for Progress (FFPr) Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project (BTF) Midterm Evaluation Report assesses the project's progress from October 2020 to September 2025. Funded by USDA and implemented by Land O’Lakes Venture37, the project aims to enhance Bangladesh's trade facilitation system and expand agricultural trade by focusing on four WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement provisions: Test Procedures (5.3), Risk Management (7.4), Perishable Goods (7.9), and Formalities (10.1). The evaluation, conducted by Inspira Advisory and Consulting Limited, utilized qualitative and quantitative methods, including desk reviews, key informant interviews, and surveys. Key findings indicate moderate progress in supporting 28 legislative documents and developing four electronic trade systems, exceeding a target of one. However, the project faced challenges in achieving targets for institutional capacity improvements (11 out of 15 organizations), ISO17025 certification for laboratories (none out of three), and private sector investment in cold chain facilities ($132,112 out of $500,000). Trade in agricultural products saw increased value but fluctuating volume, with export rejections surging in 2021 due to various factors including misbranding and contamination. The project's relevance and efficiency were high, aligning with national policies and international commitments, but effectiveness was limited as only three out of 19 indicators met their Year 3 targets due to bureaucratic delays. Recommendations include advocating for a National Trade Facilitation Act, improving access to trade information, facilitating risk-based compliance, enhancing laboratories, increasing private sector engagement, and revising monitoring and evaluation strategies, including a one-year project extension.

The USDA Food for Progress Bangladesh Climate Smart Livestock (BCSL) project, initiated in October 2023 with a budget of $16.625 million, aims to boost livestock productivity in 16 districts of Bangladesh. The project focuses on increasing milk and meat production from cattle and goats by improving animal health, promoting advanced technologies, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit of output. It also seeks to enhance trade and profitability by connecting producers to buyers and improving access to capital, targeting 250,000 beneficiaries, including 200,000 smallholder farmers. A baseline study conducted from July to September 2024 by the Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS) established benchmark data for performance and impact assessment. The study utilized a mixed-method approach, including quantitative surveys of 1,753 households (a subset of 467 for GHG estimation), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). It found that increased productivity correlates with reduced GHG emissions per unit, indicating a “double win” approach. Key findings include detailed demographic and socio-economic profiles of farming households, livestock ownership patterns (with crossbreeds more prevalent in cattle and local breeds in goats), and productivity metrics for milk and meat. The study also highlighted challenges in market linkages, access to finance, and capacity building for farmers. Recommendations include strategic pathways for achieving project objectives, market system development, and further studies on manure management.

The MOCCA (Maximizing Opportunities in Coffee and Cacao in the Americas) project, funded by the USDA's Food for Progress Program and led by TechnoServe and Lutheran World Relief, aims to help coffee and cacao farmers overcome barriers to renovation and rehabilitation (R&R) to increase productivity, marketing capacity, incomes, and livelihoods. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) is conducting a two-level baseline assessment: market systems and farmer level. This report presents the farmer-level baseline results from surveys of 1,061 cacao and 2,297 coffee farmers across multiple municipalities in Central and South America. The evaluation design, adapted due to COVID-19, compares beneficiary farmers before and after project implementation, using structured questionnaires and comprehensive data collection. Key findings highlight varying adoption rates of R&R practices, input usage, pest and disease management, and socioeconomic factors influencing yields and income across different regions and farmer demographics. The project emphasizes farmer knowledge, access to inputs and financing, and market linkages to drive sustainable R&R investments.

The Maximizing Opportunities in Coffee and Cacao in the Americas (MOCCA) project, funded by the USDA and private companies, aimed to help smallholder farmers in Central and South America improve productivity, incomes, and market access for coffee and cacao between 2019 and 2025. The project focused on training, market linkages, strengthening planting material suppliers, facilitating finance, research dissemination, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Despite challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate events, MOCCA surpassed training targets, hectares under improved management, and access to finance. While yield and income results varied by crop, particularly in coffee where income gains were largely due to favorable global prices, significant progress was made in farmer adoption of good agricultural practices and strengthening market systems. The evaluation, using a mixed-methods approach, highlights the project's relevance and effectiveness, with sustainability prospects strongest in technical assistance, genetic material, and national platforms, particularly in Guatemala, Peru, and Ecuador, though ongoing support is needed in other areas like El Salvador and Honduras.

The MOCCA Project Midterm Evaluation Report assesses the progress of the USDA Food for Progress MOCCA project (2019-2023) in Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru. Implemented by TechnoServe and partners, the project aims to increase productivity, income, and livelihoods for coffee and cacao farmers by overcoming rehabilitation and renovation barriers. The evaluation, authored by CIAT, focuses on market system changes and farmer-level adoption of agronomy best practices. Key findings for coffee include MOCCA partnering with 77 market system actors to assist over 47,300 farmers, with improved technical assistance models and significant increases in yields (61% average). For cacao, MOCCA partners with 114 market system actors, reaching 22,603 farmers, with notable progress in technical assistance content and farmer-reported usefulness of training. The report details progress in market linkages, research, planting material supply, access to finance, trade association support, and platform bolstering for both crops, alongside challenges like farmer financing and technician turnover. Overall, the project shows promising trends toward systemic change and increased farmer benefits.

The PhilCAFE Baseline Study Report, Version 4, June 2019, outlines the current state of coffee farming in the Philippines and proposes recommendations for the five-year Philippine Coffee Advancement and Farm Enterprise (PhilCAFE) project. Funded by USDA and implemented by ACDI/VOCA, the project aims to support 13,700 coffee farmers across 25 provinces to triple production, increase the country's coffee output by over 50%, and expand exports tenfold. Key findings highlight an aging farmer population (average 49 years old, 23 years in farming), small average coffee farm size (1 hectare), and low adoption of production technologies. Major challenges include limited access to planting materials (8%), subsidized fertilizers/pesticides (9.6%), and credit (1.6%), with only a third of farmers trained in coffee production. Post-harvest, 71.7% pick ripe cherries, but drying with trapal/canvas is most common, and 71.5% lack post-harvest facilities, leading to losses. Average yields are low (Arabica 652.9 kg/ha, Robusta 475 kg/ha). The average net income from coffee is Php 42,166 per hectare, contributing only 12.71% to total household income. Marketing knowledge is limited, with 92% unaware of specialty coffee. Recommendations include youth and gender strategies, strengthening producer organizations (POs) as linkage points for support, promoting good post-harvest practices and facility access, enhancing training on disease management and yield improvement, encouraging specialty coffee production, and increasing crop insurance awareness. PhilCAFE adopts a market system approach, with POs central to service delivery, linking farmers to universities, markets, and credit. Baseline values for 37 indicators are established to measure project impact, including an annual sales value of $6,661,451, a volume of 10,539 MT, and 87,129 jobs attributed to USDA assistance. The report emphasizes the need for comprehensive interventions to address the interconnected challenges in the Philippine coffee market system.

The PhilCAFE project's final evaluation, conducted by CBSG from August to December 2023, assessed interventions addressing the decline in the Philippine coffee industry exacerbated by COVID-19. Implemented by ACDI/VOCA from October 2018 to June 2024, the project aimed to boost coffee production by over 50%, increase exports tenfold, and benefit 54,800 individuals by engaging 13,700 farmers and 350 value chain actors. The evaluation, utilizing OECD/DAC criteria and outcome harvesting, focused on the project's relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability across Mindanao, Luzon, and Visayas. Employing a mixed-methods approach with literature reviews, KIIs, FGDs, and surveys of 1,794 respondents, it analyzed project impacts using Stata, Difference-in-Difference, and correlation analysis. Limitations included respondent availability and accessibility. The evaluation highlighted significant insights into participant and comparison groups, emphasizing PhilCAFE's diverse support in technical training and financial assistance.

The Philippine Coffee Advancement and Farm Enterprise (PhilCAFE) project, funded by the USDA's Food for Progress Program, aims to revitalize the Philippine coffee sector. This five-year initiative targets 25 coffee-rich provinces to significantly increase conventional and specialty coffee production and exports. The project seeks to triple coffee production for 13,700 farmers, boost national production by over 50%, and increase coffee exports tenfold. To achieve these goals, PhilCAFE will develop the capacity of approximately 350 value chain actors, including financial institutions, universities, producer organizations, input suppliers, roasters, and retailers. The project anticipates indirectly benefiting an additional 54,800 individuals through enhanced economic opportunities and social inclusion processes.

The Philippine Coffee Advancement and Farm Enterprise (PhilCAFE) Project, implemented by ACDI/VOCA and funded by the USDA Food for Progress Program from 2018 to 2024, aimed to boost the Philippine coffee sector. The project targeted 13,700 farmers to increase coffee production by over 50% and exports tenfold, benefiting 54,800 people indirectly. Operating in Mindanao, Luzon, and Visayas, PhilCAFE strengthened the capacity of 350 value chain actors through eight key activities, including improving governance, agricultural techniques, post-harvest processes, and buyer-seller relationships. An outcome-harvesting exercise identified 12 key outcomes, such as improved buyer-seller linkages, increased access to quality inputs and financial services, enhanced agricultural techniques, and expanded domestic and international trade of coffee products. The project also focused on increasing the participation of women and youth in the coffee industry. PhilCAFE achieved significant results, including 184 buyer-seller agreements, training over 18,000 individuals, and managing 9,442 hectares of land with improved practices. Key to its success were the establishment of coffee nurseries, the introduction of "coffee mentors," and the organization of coffee competitions like the PCQC, which helped establish quality standards and attract global interest. The report provides recommendations for sustained growth, emphasizing financial inclusion, capacity building, mentorship, sustainable labor practices, and expanded marketing efforts.

The Building Safe Agricultural Food Enterprises (B-SAFE) project, funded by the USDA's Food for Progress program and implemented by Winrock International, aims to boost agricultural productivity and expand trade in the Philippines by improving Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards. This baseline evaluation, conducted by Asian Social Project Services Inc., establishes initial values for key indicators across six commodities (rice, corn, hogs, broiler chicken, milkfish, and coco sugar) in selected provinces. The study found that while many beneficiaries have adopted improved management practices, there are significant gaps in the application of improved packaging, equipment, transportation, and cold storage, as well as in obtaining certifications like GAP, GMP, HACCP, or ISO. The report highlights high post-harvest losses and recommends targeted interventions, including training, facility upgrades, and market model development, to address these challenges and support the Philippine government and private sector in enhancing food safety and quality.

The Building Safe Agricultural Food Enterprises (B-SAFE) project, a five-year USDA Food for Progress initiative in the Philippines, aimed to increase agricultural productivity by improving Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures and expanding agricultural trade. Implemented by Winrock International from October 2019 to March 2025 with a budget of $13.3 million, it focused on swine, milkfish, corn, and coconut sugar value chains. The project's activities included capacity building for government regulatory agencies, supporting biotechnology awareness, building private sector technical capacity to meet international standards, and developing cold chain systems. A final evaluation by Asian Social Project Services Inc. found impressive accomplishments, with 11 out of 14 indicator targets exceeded as of September 2024. Key successes included increased risk management plans, leveraged investments of nearly $2.5 million, and significant improvements in food safety regulatory agency capacities. The project also enhanced productivity and trade practices for private sector participants and promoted biotechnology decision-making and awareness. The evaluation concluded that B-SAFE's objectives were highly relevant, effective, efficient, sustainable, and impactful, providing valuable lessons for future development initiatives in the agricultural sector.

The Building Safe Agricultural Food Enterprises (B-SAFE) project, a five-year USDA initiative in the Philippines, aims to enhance agricultural productivity and trade by improving Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) systems. A midterm evaluation, conducted in May 2023, assessed the project's performance and identified necessary modifications. The project focuses on capacity building for government food safety regulatory agencies (FSRAs) and private sector stakeholders in corn, coconut sugar, swine, and milkfish supply chains. Key activities include gap assessments, enhancing risk-based systems, supporting biotechnology decision-making, and building technical capacity and cold chain systems. While the project has made significant strides in strengthening government agencies and policy reforms, it lags in direct support to producers and traders. The evaluation recommends extending the project, intensifying training, documenting processes, improving laboratories, leveraging public resources, and addressing emerging policy issues to maximize impact.

This report evaluates three baseline indicators for the Market-Oriented Dairy (MOD) project, a five-year USDA-funded initiative in Sri Lanka. The evaluation team assessed the volume of milk sold by beneficiaries, the value of these sales, and the reduction in milk rejections due to quality issues. Key findings include a baseline milk production estimate of 37.22 million liters and a sales value of US$15.43 million, both adjusted from initial projections. The team recommended changing the quality indicator from rejection rates to premium prices paid for quality improvements, as current rejection rates are low and the industry's focus is on fat and solids-not-fat content rather than broader quality measures. The report highlights the potential for MOD to improve milk quality and producer income through training and better practices.

The Market-Oriented Dairy (MOD) project, funded by the USDA's Food for Progress program, aims to boost milk production, increase sales value, and improve milk quality in Sri Lanka over its five-year span (2017-2022). A midterm evaluation in May 2020 assessed its progress, finding that while the project adeptly navigated significant challenges like funding delays, economic downturns, natural disasters, and political instability, some targets, particularly milk volume, are unlikely to be met. Despite these hurdles, MOD achieved milestones such as securing 24 MOUs with public and private entities, strengthening the All Island Dairy Association (AIDA), and implementing effective technical and business training programs. Challenges remain in identifying high-producing farmers, facilitating access to finance for dairy farmers, and scaling large-scale dairies. The evaluation recommends focusing on expanding demonstration farms, providing specialized nutritionists for large dairies, supporting input suppliers, improving milk quality throughout the supply chain, enhancing financial training for loan officers, establishing a dairy school, promoting value-added dairy products, expanding AIDA's initiatives, analyzing best practices, and supporting fodder and forage research. The project is implemented by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and evaluated by Advanced Marketing Systems.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress (FFPr) Sri Lanka Market Oriented Dairy (MOD) Project, implemented by Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) from 2017-2024, aimed to boost Sri Lanka's dairy sector. This final evaluation report assesses the project's performance, challenges, and sustainability, providing recommendations for future programming. The MOD Project focused on increasing agricultural productivity by improving input availability for dairy farmers and enhancing trade through better food safety and quality. The evaluation, using mixed methods including quantitative surveys across 11 districts and three agro-ecological zones, found mixed results. The project successfully improved milk production and farmer management practices, with beneficiary farmers increasing average daily milk production from 30.4 to 37.6 liters. Farmers applied improved practices like year-round nutritious feed and silage use, and the project exceeded targets for individuals receiving financial services and loans. However, it struggled with improving food safety and quality, as farmers expressed dissatisfaction with the undervaluation of milk quality and inconsistent pricing. The report recommends addressing dairy quality, tailoring interventions to specific agro-ecological zones, strengthening value chain actor relationships, improving technology and tracking, and enhancing youth engagement for future programming.

The Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN) project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress (FFPr) program, aims to boost agricultural productivity, profitability, and trade in Thailand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Implemented by Winrock International, Michigan State University, and Kasetsart University, the five-year project (2022-2027) targets 30,000 farmers cultivating seven crops across 11 provinces. A baseline evaluation conducted from March 2023 to May 2024 used a mixed-methods approach, including a quantitative survey of 4,743 farmers and 73 qualitative interviews with farmers and stakeholders. Key findings indicate that a high percentage of farmers (94%) already use improved management practices, but opportunities exist for specific climate-smart innovations (CSi) adoption. Farmers face significant climate-related shocks and stressors. The evaluation provides baseline data for 10 performance indicators, contextualizes financial indicators, and addresses eight evaluation questions. Recommendations include revising indicator targets based on baseline yield figures and focusing on CSi with promising rates of return, alongside enhanced training and market linkages to support adoption and increase trade.

The Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN) project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food for Progress program, aims to boost agricultural productivity, profitability, and trade in Thailand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Implemented by Winrock International, the five-year project (2022-2027) targets 30,000 farmers cultivating seven crops across 11 provinces. A baseline evaluation, conducted from March 2023 to May 2024, utilized a mixed-methods approach, including a quantitative survey of 4,772 farmers and 73 qualitative interviews. Key findings indicate an average farmer age of 54.4 years, with 56% female farmers, and 97% being smallholders. The evaluation established baseline yields for various crops and assessed the adoption of improved management practices (94% of farmers reported using at least one such practice). It also analyzed access to agriculture-related financing and annual sales value, with durian showing the highest sales. The report concludes that RAIN is relevant to Thailand's agricultural development goals and recommends adjusting project targets based on baseline data and focusing on climate-smart innovations that offer promising returns and are affordable and accessible to farmers.

The Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN) project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food for Progress program, aims to boost agricultural productivity, profitability, and trade in Thailand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Implemented by Winrock International and partners, the 5-year, $16.4 million project targets 30,000 farmers across 11 provinces, focusing on seven key crops: rainfed rice, irrigated rice, cassava, durian, longan, mangosteen, and coconut. The project identifies, validates, and scales climate-smart innovations (CSi) through a 'Five S' process (Source, Support, Scale, Sell, Share). A baseline evaluation conducted from March 2023 to May 2024 utilized a mixed-methods approach, including a quantitative survey of 4,743 farmers and qualitative interviews with farmers and key stakeholders. Key findings revealed an average farmer age of 54.4 years, with 56% female farmers, and 97% being smallholder farmers. The evaluation established baseline values for key indicators related to yield, adoption of improved management practices (94% of farmers), access to agriculture-related financing (33.5% of farmers), and annual sales. It also highlighted that climate change-related shocks and stressors are a major concern for farmers. The report concludes that RAIN is relevant to Thailand's agricultural development goals and has the potential for significant impact, recommending revisions to project targets based on baseline data and a focus on CSi with promising returns.

The Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN) project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food for Progress program, aims to boost agricultural productivity, profitability, and trade in Thailand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and natural resource depletion. Implemented by Winrock International, the five-year, $16.4 million project targets 30,000 farmers cultivating seven crops across 11 provinces. A baseline evaluation, conducted from March 2023 to May 2024, utilized a mixed-methods approach with quantitative surveys of 4,743 farmers and qualitative interviews with 49 farmers and 24 stakeholders. Key findings reveal an average farmer age of 54.4 years, with 56% being female smallholders. While 94% of farmers use improved management practices, adoption of specific climate-smart innovations (CSi) varies. The evaluation provided baseline data for agricultural yields, financing access, and sales, noting that most farmers sell to middlemen and face climate-related shocks. Recommendations include revising indicator targets based on baseline yields and focusing on CSi with promising returns, ease of use, and affordability to ensure successful adoption and project sustainability.