Feed the Future Mozambique Agricultural Innovations Activity (FTF Inova) Annual Work Plan (October 2021 – February 2022)

Business innovations in the agricultural sector have nearly tripled since the baseline assessment in 2018, with innovations most prevalent in the input distribution network. Successful innovation has increased competition in the input sector, fostering an environment in which firms must innovate to maintain market share, especially in rural areas. The combination of these results and the limited time available until close-out in February 2022 provides FTF-Inova with a unique opportunity to concentrate efforts on four strategic objectives. Objective 1 focuses on gathering evidence and assessing the early signs of system changes emerging. Objective 2 aims to support further integration of the support services into the core market systems (input distribution and supply chain). Objective 3 involves investing in amplification of the successful innovations promoted by FTF Inova. Objective 4 focuses on finalizing the direct support to interventions that curtail the effects of COVID-19. FTF Inova will invest most of its remaining resources in four kinds of activities aligned with the strategic objectives. The first activity involves gathering more evidence of the impact of innovations on businesses and smallholder farmers (SHFs) in the core market systems. This includes designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating innovative concepts and pilots for businesses, as well as critically examining opportunities for sustainability, inclusiveness of traditionally marginalized groups, and potential for impact at scale. The second activity supports further integration of the support services into the core market systems (input distribution and supply chain). This involves working with partners to design and implement tailored services for the agricultural sector, as well as rewarding quality in agricultural products and services. The third activity involves investing in amplification of the successful innovations promoted by FTF Inova, including scaling up innovations that have shown promise and supporting the development of new innovations. The fourth activity focuses on finalizing the direct support to interventions that curtail the effects of COVID-19. This includes providing technical assistance to businesses and smallholder farmers, as well as supporting the development of new innovations that address the challenges posed by the pandemic. The Annual Work Plan is organized around these four strategic objectives, with detailed approaches to the market systems changes sought in each of the three portfolios (Supply Chain Management, Input Distribution Networks, and Support Services), as well as additional key activities (Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, COVID-19 Challenge Fund, and Management & Operations). Supply Chain Management is a key area of focus for FTF Inova, with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the agricultural supply chain. This includes working with partners to design and implement new supply chain management systems, as well as providing technical assistance to businesses and smallholder farmers to help them navigate the supply chain. Input Distribution Networks are also a key area of focus, with the goal of improving the availability and accessibility of agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers. This includes working with partners to design and implement new input distribution systems, as well as providing technical assistance to businesses and smallholder farmers to help them access the inputs they need. Support Services are also a key area of focus for FTF Inova, with the goal of improving the availability and accessibility of support services to smallholder farmers. This includes working with partners to design and implement new support services, as well as providing technical assistance to businesses and smallholder farmers to help them access the support services they need. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) is also a key area of focus, with the goal of tracking progress and evaluating the impact of FTF Inova's activities. This includes working with partners to design and implement MEL systems, as well as providing technical assistance to businesses and smallholder farmers to help them track their progress and evaluate their impact. The COVID-19 Challenge Fund is also a key area of focus for FTF Inova, with the goal of providing support to businesses and smallholder farmers affected by the pandemic. This includes providing technical assistance, as well as financial support to help them navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic. Management & Operations is also a key area of focus, with the goal of ensuring that FTF Inova's activities are implemented efficiently and effectively. This includes working with partners to design and implement management systems, as well as providing technical assistance to businesses and smallholder farmers to help them navigate the management systems.