Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OAA 12 000036
Apply for RFA OAA 12 000036
- The Agency for International Development in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Global Hunger and Food Security Research Strategy Climate Resilience, Nutrition, and Policy" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001 USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 18, 2013 and posted on Sep 27, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2013 The close date and time is January 31, 2013 at 200pm (Washington DC Time).. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $75,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $75,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This program is authorized under Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Applications may only be submitted by eligible U.S. colleges and universities as defined under Section 296(d) of Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended. See SECTION III ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION for more details.
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Opportunity Summary:
The USAID opportunity titled "Global Hunger and Food Security Research Strategy: Climate Resilience, Nutrition, and Policy" is a large Feed the Future research solicitation designed to fund agricultural research that directly supports food security and poverty reduction in developing countries. The core idea is that strategic research investments can raise agricultural productivity while also addressing climate change pressures, improving nutrition outcomes, strengthening enabling policies, and protecting natural resources. The announcement is built around Feed the Future's research strategy, which promotes "sustainable intensification" a shift toward achieving higher yields and better livelihoods without degrading land, water, or ecosystems. Rather than funding research in isolation, the opportunity stresses research-for-development work that is purpose-driven, impact-oriented, and tightly connected to how innovations are actually deployed and adopted through extension systems, education and training, monitoring and evaluation, and continuous learning at the country level.
A central theme is integration across disciplines and across the full pathway from discovery to real-world use. USAID highlights the need to combine natural science research (such as crop improvement, livestock health, water management, and post-harvest technologies) with social science research (especially policy analysis) to ensure that technical advances translate into measurable benefits for farmers and consumers. The emphasis on climate resilience and nutrition reflects the reality that productivity gains alone are not enough; innovations need to perform under climate variability and contribute to healthier diets and reduced malnutrition, while policies and institutions need to support adoption, markets, and equitable access.
The solicitation invites applications in six program areas. The first focuses on high-yielding, climate-resilient legumes and includes two distinct tracks: one centered on soy and another on other legumes. This signals interest in legumes as both a resilience and nutrition strategy, given their role in soil health through nitrogen fixation and their importance as protein- and micronutrient-rich foods. The second program area targets high-yielding, climate-resilient cereals, reflecting cereals' central role in staple food systems and the need for varieties that maintain performance under drought, heat, and other climate stresses. The third program area addresses livestock productivity through climate resilience and disease resistance, also with two distinct tracks: vaccine development and breeding/genomics approaches, indicating USAID is open to both animal health innovations and genetic improvement strategies to reduce losses and boost productivity. The fourth program area centers on small-scale irrigation technologies and agricultural water management practices, aiming to improve water use efficiency and make production more reliable for smallholders facing rainfall variability. The fifth program area addresses reduced post-harvest losses and food waste, recognizing that food security can be improved not only by producing more but by protecting what is already produced through better storage, handling, processing, and supply chain practices. The sixth program area is food security policy, which covers research and analysis to improve the policy environment that shapes incentives, investment, market function, nutrition outcomes, and resilience.
In terms of funding and administration, this was issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning USAID expected substantial involvement during implementation rather than a hands-off grant structure. The opportunity listed an estimated total funding amount of $75,000,000 with an award ceiling of $75,000,000 and an award floor of $50,000,000, and it anticipated up to 10 awards. The CFDA number was 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas). No cost sharing or matching was required. The opportunity was posted on September 27, 2012, with a final closing date of January 31, 2013 at 2:00 pm Washington, DC time, and it was later archived on March 2, 2013.
Eligibility was limited and specific. Applications could only be submitted by eligible U.S. colleges and universities as defined under Section 296(d) of Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. In other words, this was not an open competition for all organizations; it was aimed at U.S. higher education institutions that meet the Title XII definition, consistent with USAID's long-standing approach to building international agricultural research partnerships through U.S. universities. The announcement provided a USAID contact point for access and questions, listing Sharon Wharton Smith (Agreement Officer) and the email address foodsecurityresearchrfa@usaid.gov, and referenced USAID's Bureau for Food Security as the managing entity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the title of this USAID funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Global Hunger and Food Security Research Strategy: Climate Resilience, Nutrition, and Policy."
2) What is the overall purpose of this solicitation?
It is a large Feed the Future research solicitation intended to fund agricultural research that directly supports food security and poverty reduction in developing countries, with a focus on climate resilience, improved nutrition outcomes, stronger enabling policies, and protection of natural resources.
3) What approach to research does USAID emphasize in this announcement?
The announcement emphasizes research-for-development: purpose-driven, impact-oriented work that is closely tied to how innovations are deployed and adopted in real-world settings. It stresses links to extension systems, education and training, monitoring and evaluation, and continuous learning at the country level.
4) What does "sustainable intensification" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Within this solicitation, "sustainable intensification" refers to achieving higher agricultural yields and improved livelihoods without degrading land, water, or ecosystems.
5) What kinds of disciplines does the opportunity encourage applicants to integrate?
USAID highlights integration across natural sciences (for example, crop improvement, livestock health, water management, and post-harvest technologies) and social sciences (especially policy analysis) so that technical advances translate into measurable benefits for farmers and consumers.
6) Why are climate resilience and nutrition both emphasized?
The solicitation notes that productivity gains alone are not enough. Innovations should perform under climate variability and contribute to healthier diets and reduced malnutrition, while policies and institutions should support adoption, markets, and equitable access.
7) How many program areas are included in the solicitation?
The solicitation invites applications in six program areas.
8) What is Program Area 1 focused on?
Program Area 1 focuses on high-yielding, climate-resilient legumes and includes two distinct tracks: one centered on soy and another on other legumes.
9) Why are legumes highlighted in this opportunity?
The opportunity signals interest in legumes as both a resilience and nutrition strategy, citing their role in soil health through nitrogen fixation and their importance as protein- and micronutrient-rich foods.
10) What is Program Area 2 focused on?
Program Area 2 targets high-yielding, climate-resilient cereals, reflecting cereals' central role in staple food systems and the need for varieties that maintain performance under drought, heat, and other climate stresses.
11) What is Program Area 3 focused on?
Program Area 3 addresses livestock productivity through climate resilience and disease resistance. It includes two distinct tracks: vaccine development and breeding/genomics approaches.
12) What is Program Area 4 focused on?
Program Area 4 centers on small-scale irrigation technologies and agricultural water management practices to improve water use efficiency and make production more reliable for smallholders facing rainfall variability.
13) What is Program Area 5 focused on?
Program Area 5 focuses on reduced post-harvest losses and food waste, including improvements in storage, handling, processing, and supply chain practices to protect what is already produced.
14) What is Program Area 6 focused on?
Program Area 6 is food security policy, covering research and analysis aimed at improving the policy environment that shapes incentives, investment, market function, nutrition outcomes, and resilience.
15) What type of award mechanism is this opportunity using?
This opportunity was issued as a cooperative agreement, which means USAID expected substantial involvement during implementation rather than a hands-off grant structure.
16) What was the estimated total funding amount for the opportunity?
The opportunity listed an estimated total funding amount of $75,000,000.
17) What were the award floor and award ceiling?
The award ceiling was $75,000,000 and the award floor was $50,000,000.
18) How many awards did USAID anticipate making?
USAID anticipated up to 10 awards.
19) Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching was required.
20) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number was 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas).
21) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to eligible U.S. colleges and universities as defined under Section 296(d) of Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.
22) Is this an open competition for all organizations?
No. The solicitation was not open to all organizations; it was aimed specifically at U.S. higher education institutions that meet the Title XII definition.
23) When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on September 27, 2012.
24) What was the application deadline?
The final closing date was January 31, 2013 at 2:00 pm Washington, DC time.
25) Was the opportunity archived, and if so, when?
Yes. It was later archived on March 2, 2013.
26) Which USAID entity managed or referenced this solicitation?
The announcement referenced USAID's Bureau for Food Security as the managing entity.
27) Who was the listed USAID contact for questions, and what email was provided?
The listed contact point included Sharon Wharton Smith (Agreement Officer). The email address provided was foodsecurityresearchrfa@usaid.gov.
28) What does the solicitation suggest about moving research from discovery to real-world use?
It stresses integration across the full pathway from discovery to real-world use, emphasizing that research should be connected to deployment and adoption through extension systems, education and training, monitoring and evaluation, and ongoing learning in-country.
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