Annual Report–Year 6: Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East and West (IDEA-NEW)

Agency for International Development's (USAID) Office of Agriculture. The program's mission is to expand the licit agricultural economy in northern, eastern and western Afghanistan. IDEA-NEW's activities strengthened farm to market linkages in economic development corridors in its three target regions, contributed to the development of the high value crop subsector as well as grains and livestock, encouraged the creation of on-farm and non-farm employment for men and women, and rehabilitated local infrastructure to provide immediate cash incomes directly to vulnerable communities. From March 2009 until the end of December 2013, three partners implemented IDEA-NEW. Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) implemented programs in the East and West, ACDI/VOCA operated in the North, and Mercy Corps worked in the Northeast. Beginning in January 2014, DAI became the sole implementer of IDEA-NEW and the project narrowed its geographic and programmatic focus to the Eastern region and the grape, orchard crop and vegetable value chains. IDEA-NEW currently offers technical assistance and in-kind grant support to agribusinesses to improve their market access, increase processing capacity and catalyze investments into Afghanistan's agricultural sector. Intensive value chain development that promotes income generation and job creation in poppy-prone areas is IDEA-NEW's priority until 2015. The project also builds the capacity of its beneficiaries and Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) officials via comprehensive trainings on a wide variety of topics, including new farming techniques and best practices, business management, and accounting and marketing, all led by IDEA-NEW supported grantees. The project works closely with provincial- and district-level government and communities to build strong relationships among local stakeholders. IDEA-NEW's geographic coverage includes 17 provinces in Afghanistan, with a focus on the Eastern region and the grape, orchard crop and vegetable value chains. The project's activities have resulted in the development of the high value crop subsector, grains and livestock, and the creation of on-farm and non-farm employment for men and women. In accordance with the agreement's period of performance, IDEA-NEW initiated closedown preparations during the first quarter of FY2014. However, with the approval of a 12-month, no-cost extension (NCE) on February 17, 2014, IDEA-NEW ceased its closedown activities and began preparing for another year of implementation. The project released an expression of interest (EOI) to 500 agricultural input suppliers and food processors, and held pre-application conferences for agriculture input suppliers and food processing companies. IDEA-NEW's activities have resulted in the strengthening of farm to market linkages, the development of the high value crop subsector, and the creation of on-farm and non-farm employment for men and women. The project has also built the capacity of its beneficiaries and GIRoA officials through comprehensive trainings on a wide variety of topics. IDEA-NEW's geographic coverage includes 17 provinces in Afghanistan, with a focus on the Eastern region and the grape, orchard crop and vegetable value chains. The project's priority until 2015 is intensive value chain development that promotes income generation and job creation in poppy-prone areas. IDEA-NEW currently offers technical assistance and in-kind grant support to agribusinesses to improve their market access, increase processing capacity and catalyze investments into Afghanistan's agricultural sector. The project works closely with provincial- and district-level government and communities to build strong relationships among local stakeholders.