The Rural Agricultural Income and Sustainable Environment Plus (RAISE Plus) Program is a five year indefinite quantity contract (IQC) designed to provide USAID Missions worldwide with expertise to provide country-level design, implementation and evaluation services that will stimulate market-driven and environmentally sustainable agriculture and natural resource-based rural prosperity. The IQC will remain active through February 27, 2010, however the completion date for task orders awarded during this timeframe can exceed the end date of the IQC.
Background
Agriculture and rural prosperity go hand in hand. Increases in agriculture productivity and access to market increases sales and rural incomes. Because agriculture growth has the highest economic multiplier, increases in farm sales and income turn jump-starts the development of broader rural economies. Good agricultural practices also lead to improved and sustainable environmental management. However the capacity of agriculture in developing countries requires significant investment in technology, research and training, as well as improved enabling environments, in order to improve productivity and competitiveness so that they can participate in the global marketplace. RAISE Plus is designed to address these issues.
Technical Services
The following technical services are available through the RAISE Plus IQC:
- Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis
These services include technical assistance to develop national policy frameworks that will result in internationally competitive and increasingly profitable agricultural and natural resource-based enterprises that enhance rural prosperity. Specific services include sector development strategies, agriculture trade and policy analysis.
We will provide environmentally sustainable productivity and profitability enhancing technologies and techniques to producers currently operating in, or entering new, national, regional and international markets. This includes introducing new technology and promoting investment in improvements in input market systems and production processes.
- Enterprise and Market Development
RAISE Plus activities will increase the numbers, competitiveness and profitability of agribusiness and natural resource based enterprises that buy from or sell to rural families, increasing rural family incomes and market and technology access. Specific assistance will increase the availability and investment in postharvest storage and processing capacity, improve product market systems, and stimulate the formation of producer organizations and new enterprises in the agriculture value chain.
Task Order Support Services
The Fintrac Consortium will also provide demand-driven support services through Mission and USAID/Washington-based task orders. These services include:
- Short and long-term technical assistance
- Commodity procurement
- Short and long-term training assistance
- Grant management
A full description of these service areas can be found in Expertise.
