Location: Nairobi, Kenya (with in-country and periodic international travel) Period of Performance: August 01 , 2016 – September 30, 2018 (funding dependent) Background: The USAID Building Capacity for African Agricultural Transformation (Africa Lead II) Project is a five-year effort to support and advance the agricultural transformation in Africa as proposed by the African Union Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP), while simultaneously contributing to the Feed the Future goals of reduced hunger and poverty, by building the capacity of men and women African leaders, institutions and stakeholders to develop, lead, and manage the structures needed for the transformation process. This project has three components:
Africa Lead turns 3! Our work in support of transformational leaders in Africa is embarking upon its third year. Read how Champions for Change across Africa in the public, private, and civil society sectors are engaging in processes that are propelling the Africa Union's commitment to agricultural transformation forward. AFRICA LEAD ANNUAL REPORT - OCT 2015
The African Union Commission’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (AUC/DREA) recently signed a letter of agreement with Africa Lead, a top program of the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative. The Letter of Agreement between the two organizations commits to the selection and seconding of professional staff to AUC/DREA for up to three years to assist in facilitating the continental commitment to transform agriculture. The 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods was signed by leaders of the 54 African Union member states last July. The Malabo Declaration includes country commitments to ending hunger; decreasing poverty through inclusive agriculture growth and transformation; boosting intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services; enhancing resilience to climate variability and other shocks; and a commitment to mutual accountability for actions and results. The letter was signed by Dr. Janet Edeme (pictured at left), Officer-in-Charge of the African Union Commission/Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, and Dr. David Tardif-Douglin (pictured at right), Chief of Party for the USAID Africa Lead program, on September 9 in Bethesda, Maryland. Three of the seconded staff will support the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Initiative. The Alliance is a partnership that brings together the capacities and interests of a diverse group of stakeholders. These include African governments, the private sector, civil society, donors, and other development partners. They are allied to facilitate inclusive growth in agriculture and address key constraints to private investment and increased smallholder productivity and market access. Work to be performed under the agreement will focus on advancing the implementation of the New Alliance Initiative in the context of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) at national, Regional Economic Communities and continental levels. This support includes overseeing coordination with different stakeholder groups on the New Alliance in the current 10 member countries—Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Malawi, Benin, and Nigeria. The New Alliance team will also oversee the drafting and review of major global New Alliance reports. AUC/DREA is a department within the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is charged with the promotion of sustainable agricultural and rural development across the continent and improved food security for Africans. Africa Lead II is a five-year program of the U.S. Agency for International Development to support and advance agricultural transformation in Africa. Simultaneously, Africa Lead II contributes to the U.S. Feed the Future goals of reduced hunger and poverty by building the capacity of Champions—defined as men and women leaders in agriculture—to develop, lead, and manage the policies, structures, and processes needed for the transformation process.
The CAADP NonState Actors Coalition (CNC), a Pan-African initiative of community-based and private sector groups dedicated to informing and expanding engagement in African agricultural transformation, is establishing a formal secretariat and seeks a coordinator. The coordinator will be based in the host organization's office (ACORD) in Nairobi, Kenya. To learn more about this opportunity to coordinate this varied and powerful coalition to advance CAADP’s mission through amplifying the voice of nongovernmental actors, see the accompanying announcement and job description. The deadline to apply is 7 September. ADVERT CNC Coordinator JOB DESCRIPTION CNC Coordinator
Champion for Change networks, regional, national and county governments, civil society organizations, and commercial agribusinesses are the forces of change that Africa Lead supports. For an update on our recent activities, check out our latest Quarterly Report (April–June 2015). The report and Executive Summary can be viewed here. To enable interactive features in the full report, download the PDF. Africa Lead II Qtr Report Apr-June 2015 Annex I-II Africa Lead II Qtr Report Apr-Jun - Title & Exec (7-31-15)
Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, Director of Rural Economy and Agriculture for the African Union, recently delivered a webinar about Africa’s commitments to transformation. The presentation clearly defines the plans and initiatives that are being put in place to implement the Malabo Declaration. The presentation shows what makes the Malabo Declaration different from past initiatives, and highlights the importance of engagement by all stakeholders to reach the goals by 2025.