expanding agriculture and food security activities in ... - part - usaid

2. The need to focus
In order to demonstrate clear impact, USAID will need to focus the program geographically, initially in
the areas with the highest chance for success to build momentum. The project will also limit itself
programmatically in terms of numbers of targeted commodity chains and supporting interventions. The
following discussion provides a set of criteria that the team has used to develop recommendations for the
program.
i. Selection Criteria
The Association of African Research for Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), with assistance from
the International Food Policy Institute (IFPRI) uses a methodology and modeling to identify agricultural
commodities and non-commodity investments that are most likely to result in the widest and most
equitable reduction in poverty. Based on the results of using this methodology, ASARECA developed its
Strategic Plan to identify agriculture research priorities in the region. The criteria used in the IFPRI
methodology are based on “development domains” as determined by agricultural potential, access to
markets (measured by time to market), and the density of population (as a measure of land availability).
These three variables are evaluated in terms of being High or Low. The Greenbelt of the Equatoria States
falls in the category of High agriculture potential Low market access, and Low population – HLL. The
drier pastoral areas would be characterized as LLL. For both of these development domains, agriculture
will be the driver of growth, although progress will be slower in the LLL areas.
The ASARECA/IFPRI work goes into more details on specific sets of interventions most likely to have
the greatest impact on poverty reduction.
• Commodity selection should be based on large numbers of producers and large numbers of
consumers (i.e., non-niche commodities) in order to impact on the largest number of people.
• Use of technologies to boost productivity of several commodities will be key to achieving impact.
Commodities likely to have the broadest impact are the staple food crops, livestock, oilseeds, and
fruits and vegetables.
• For HLL and LLL domains, gains in productivity will be less, unless investments are
concurrently made in markets and infrastructure.
• Focus on intensive production in HLL areas, especially on non-perishables with high demand in
the region. In LLL areas, livestock are the source of livelihoods, and interventions should focus
on animal health, nutrition, range (pastoral) and pasture (non-pastoral) management and natural
resources management.
• Strengthen markets and infrastructure to connect HLL regions to high demand centers.
• Link agriculture to non-agricultural through agro-industries, for processing and distribution. In
some cases, cottage industry development may be possible.
• Tap into regional approaches, especially in Research and Development training, infrastructure
development and market opportunities.
For the specific agricultural productivity and marketing program for Sudan, the team believes
the additional criteria below are useful to supplement the ASARECA criteria.
Commodities:
• Importance/contribution to food security
• Relative numbers of farmers producing the commodity
• Size of market demand
• Level of available technologies and practices
EXPANDING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHERN SUDAN 25