Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 624 14 000002
Apply for RFA 624 14 000002
- The Ghana USAID Accra in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USAIDs WEST AFRICA COTTON PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM" 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 8, 2014 and posted on Dec 16, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 22, 2014 Submission Deadline 1500 hrs GMT, 01/22/2014.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $14,800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $14,800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
USAID's West Africa Cotton Partnership Program (WACPP) is a cooperative agreement funding opportunity designed to strengthen the cotton sector in West Africa, with a particular focus on the "C-4" cotton-producing countries (a reference commonly used for Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali). The program is rooted in international trade concerns raised during the 2003 WTO Cancun Ministerial Meetings, where West African countries highlighted the market and price distortions associated with subsidies to cotton producers in wealthier economies, including the United States. In parallel with addressing those broader concerns, the project is also framed as part of the U.S. Government's development objectives in the region, specifically reducing poverty and hunger in rural communities that depend heavily on cotton and related farming systems.
The core purpose of the WACPP is to work through and strengthen existing regional and national institutions and organizations across the cotton value chain. Rather than operating as a standalone, externally driven project, it emphasizes collaboration with public, private, and semi-private sector entities so that improvements can be embedded locally and sustained over time. The program explicitly prioritizes smallholder cotton farmers, including both men and women, and aims to build on the results, lessons learned, and practical experience gained from prior U.S. Government investments in West African cotton. A major theme in the description is that the sector needs a newer, more results-driven model of collaboration than has been typical historically, suggesting that the program expects applicants to demonstrate strong partnership structures and a clear plan for coordinated implementation.
USAID highlights three main emphasis areas for this initiative. First is sustainable agricultural productivity, which points to boosting yields and farm performance in ways that can be maintained long-term, not just through short-term input support. Second is partnerships, meaning the program expects strategic cooperation among cotton-sector actors, including producer groups, cotton companies, research and extension bodies, and other national or regional organizations that influence farming practices and market systems. Third is benefits for women, indicating an intentional effort to ensure that women farmers and women participating in cotton-related livelihoods see real, measurable gains. This can include improved access to training, inputs, decision-making roles, income opportunities, or other outcomes that address gender-based constraints in the sector.
A key implementation approach described in the announcement is the dissemination and scaling of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). By working with and through national and regional entities, the project aims to spread effective, field-tested practices across cotton-growing zones in the C-4 countries. The intent is not only to introduce improved techniques, but to scale them through institutions that can continue promoting them after the award period, supporting broader, sustained productivity growth across major cotton-producing areas. The announcement also suggests that achieving these goals will require a level of coordination and collaboration that is "new to the sector," which implies that competitive proposals would likely need to show credible mechanisms for alignment among stakeholders, shared incentives, and practical ways to reach large numbers of smallholders.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity was issued by USAID Ghana (USAID Accra) under Funding Opportunity Number RFA 624-14-000002. It falls under the Agriculture activity category and uses a cooperative agreement, which generally means USAID anticipates substantial involvement during implementation compared with a standard grant. The opportunity anticipated a single award, with total estimated funding of $14,800,000. Notably, the ceiling and floor are both listed as $14,800,000, indicating the award amount was effectively fixed at that level for the selected implementer. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types could apply, subject to any additional constraints that might have been specified in the full announcement. The original submission deadline was January 15, 2014 at 1500 GMT, later extended to January 22, 2014 at 1500 GMT, and the opportunity was archived on February 21, 2014. The CFDA number associated with the award is 98.001, which corresponds to USAID foreign assistance programs overseas. For access issues related to the full announcement, the listed contact was Nana Derby, with a Ghana-based phone number and an email contact referenced in the notice.
FAQs: USAID West Africa Cotton Partnership Program (WACPP)
What is the West Africa Cotton Partnership Program (WACPP)?
WACPP is a USAID cooperative agreement funding opportunity intended to strengthen the cotton sector in West Africa. It is designed to improve how the cotton value chain performs by working through existing regional and national institutions rather than operating as a standalone, externally driven project.
Which countries are the main focus of WACPP?
The program places particular focus on the "C-4" cotton-producing countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali.
Why was this program created (what is the context behind it)?
The program is rooted in international trade concerns highlighted by West African countries during the 2003 WTO Cancun Ministerial Meetings. These countries pointed to market and price distortions associated with cotton subsidies in wealthier economies, including the United States. Alongside those broader concerns, WACPP is framed as part of U.S. Government development objectives to reduce poverty and hunger in rural communities that depend on cotton and cotton-related farming systems.
What is the core purpose or main goal of WACPP?
The core purpose is to work through and strengthen existing regional and national institutions and organizations across the cotton value chain so that improvements are locally embedded and sustained over time. The program emphasizes collaboration with public, private, and semi-private sector entities.
Who is the program intended to benefit?
The program explicitly prioritizes smallholder cotton farmers, including both men and women, and aims to deliver sustainable improvements across cotton-growing zones in the C-4 countries.
What are the main emphasis areas of the initiative?
USAID highlights three main emphasis areas: (1) sustainable agricultural productivity, (2) partnerships among cotton-sector actors, and (3) measurable benefits for women participating in cotton farming and cotton-related livelihoods.
What does "sustainable agricultural productivity" mean in this opportunity?
In this opportunity, sustainable agricultural productivity points to boosting yields and farm performance in ways that can be maintained long-term, rather than relying only on short-term input support.
What kinds of partnerships does USAID expect under WACPP?
The announcement emphasizes strategic cooperation among cotton-sector actors, including producer groups, cotton companies, research and extension bodies, and other national or regional organizations that influence farming practices and market systems. It also notes the need for a newer, more results-driven model of collaboration than has been typical historically.
How are women expected to benefit from WACPP?
The opportunity signals an intentional effort to ensure women farmers and women participating in cotton-related livelihoods see real, measurable gains. Examples mentioned include improved access to training, inputs, decision-making roles, income opportunities, or other outcomes that address gender-based constraints in the sector.
What implementation approach is specifically called out in the announcement?
A key approach is the dissemination and scaling of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). The program aims not only to introduce improved techniques, but to scale them across cotton-growing zones by working through national and regional entities that can continue promoting the practices after the award period.
What are Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in the context of this program?
In the context provided, GAPs are effective, field-tested practices intended to improve cotton production and farm performance. The program emphasizes disseminating and scaling these practices through existing institutions to support sustained productivity growth.
How is WACPP different from a typical standalone project?
WACPP is designed to strengthen and work through existing institutions and organizations across the cotton value chain, emphasizing collaboration with local public, private, and semi-private entities so the improvements can be sustained locally over time.
What does it mean that this is a "cooperative agreement" rather than a standard grant?
The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates USAID anticipates substantial involvement during implementation compared with a standard grant.
Which USAID office issued this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by USAID Ghana (USAID Accra).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA 624-14-000002.
What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
It falls under the Agriculture activity category.
How many awards were anticipated?
The notice anticipated a single award.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The total estimated funding was $14,800,000.
Was the award amount flexible, or fixed?
The ceiling and floor were both listed as $14,800,000, which indicates the award amount was effectively fixed at that level for the selected implementer.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was listed.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types could apply, subject to any additional constraints that might have been included in the full announcement.
What was the original submission deadline?
The original submission deadline was January 15, 2014 at 1500 GMT.
Was the deadline extended?
Yes. The submission deadline was extended to January 22, 2014 at 1500 GMT.
What does it mean that the opportunity is archived?
The notice indicates the opportunity was archived on February 21, 2014, meaning it was no longer an active, open solicitation as of that date.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 98.001, which corresponds to USAID foreign assistance programs overseas.
Who was the listed contact for access issues related to the full announcement?
The listed contact was Nana Derby, with a Ghana-based phone number and an email contact referenced in the notice.
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