Kenya Feed the Future Local Food Systems | 72061523RFA00008

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Kenya Feed the Future Local Food Systems Activity (USAID Kenya and East Africa)

1) What is the Kenya Feed the Future Local Food Systems Activity?

It is a USAID Kenya and East Africa program that solicits proposals to strengthen sustainable local food systems within Kenya's Feed the Future Zone of Influence. The activity is designed to help households, communities, conservancies, county governments, and private-sector actors participate in and benefit from local food system growth.

2) What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The core purpose is to improve how local food systems function and who can access opportunities within them, with the intent to reduce poverty and malnutrition, diversify livelihoods, and build resilience against shocks, including climate-related disruptions.

3) Where will the activity focus geographically?

The activity is intended to operate within Kenya's Feed the Future Zone of Influence, as referenced in the opportunity description.

4) Who is meant to benefit from the activity?

The opportunity highlights benefits for households and communities, conservancies, county governments, and private-sector actors, with a strong emphasis on women, adolescent girls, caregivers, and children for nutrition-related outcomes.

5) How does this opportunity connect to Kenya's national priorities?

The activity explicitly supports the Government of Kenya's Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS 2019-2029), which prioritizes agricultural-led economic growth, lowering the cost of food, reducing poverty, and improving food and nutrition security.

6) How does this opportunity align with USAID priorities?

It reflects USAID's push toward locally led development, consistent with the Agency's New Partnerships Initiative and the Mission's Country Development Cooperation Strategy. The opportunity emphasizes solutions grounded in local priorities, knowledge, and aspirations.

7) What implementation approach does USAID expect applicants to use?

The opportunity signals that applicants should promote diversity, inclusivity, equity, and sustainability, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach across implementation.

8) Is gender equality a formal requirement in this opportunity?

Yes. Gender equality and women's empowerment are presented as a major cross-cutting requirement. Applicants are expected to safeguard the rights of women and girls, increase women's and adolescent girls' economic empowerment, and promote gender equity in climate change mitigation.

9) Does USAID expect gender to be a standalone program component?

No. The opportunity states that applicants are expected to integrate gender-sensitive approaches throughout the design and delivery of programming, not as a standalone component. Gender is described as a core implementation standard shaping targeting, partnerships, capacity building, and measurement of results.

10) What specific outcome targets related to women are included?

USAID identifies intended outcome targets that include increasing incomes for 140,000 women by at least 50 percent and ensuring that 36,800 women achieve a minimally acceptable diet.

11) What specific outcome targets related to child nutrition are included?

The activity aims to work with caregivers using gender-sensitive methods to reach 11,200 children with nutrition programming.

12) What kinds of results does USAID appear to prioritize based on the targets?

The stated targets indicate a combined focus on economic outcomes (income growth and livelihood diversification) and human development outcomes (diet quality and child nutrition), with women positioned as key economic actors and caregivers as critical partners for nutrition improvements.

13) What is the funding agency and issuing office?

The funding opportunity is issued by the Agency for International Development (USAID), specifically USAID Kenya and East Africa.

14) What type of funding opportunity is this?

It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.

15) What is the award instrument or mechanism?

The opportunity is issued under a cooperative agreement mechanism. This indicates USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation compared to a typical grant.

16) What does "substantial involvement" mean in this context?

Based on the description provided, it means USAID anticipates being more actively engaged during implementation than it would be under a more traditional grant arrangement. The specific forms of involvement are not detailed in the provided text.

17) Who is eligible to apply?

The opportunity is listed as unrestricted for eligible applicants. The provided information does not further specify applicant categories beyond that statement.

18) What is the maximum potential funding amount (award ceiling)?

The posted award ceiling is $49,000,000.

19) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is 72061523RFA00008.

20) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA listing provided is 98.001.

21) When was the notice created?

The notice was created on 2023-07-21.

22) What was the original closing date?

The original closing date was 2023-09-08.

23) What types of shocks is the activity expected to help communities withstand?

The description notes resilience against shocks, including climate-related disruptions.

24) What does the opportunity suggest about the role of local actors?

The activity emphasizes locally led development and is intended to help local actors (including households, communities, conservancies, county governments, and private-sector actors) better participate in and benefit from local food system growth.

25) Does the opportunity emphasize nutrition outcomes alongside economic growth?

Yes. The narrative and targets explicitly include diet quality and child nutrition outcomes in addition to income increases for women.