RADP-North FY2014 Annual Report

To achieve this, the program strengthens the capacity of farmers in improved production in the wheat, high value crop, and livestock value chains. RADP-North uses a value chain facilitation approach to address numerous bottlenecks and identify lead firms capable of leveraging positive change. The program's holistic framework also includes supporting a policy environment through advocacy and dialogue that strengthens the private sector. RADP-North's geographic coverage includes Badakhshan, Baghlan, Balkh, Jowzjan, Kunduz, and Samangan provinces. The program's start-up phase was dominated by mobilizing key expatriate staff, recruiting local staff, securing an office and expatriate guest house, establishing operational systems and processes, and developing program activities. Program management also worked to process subcontracts to incorporate subcontractors according to the contract. The RADP-North contract was signed on May 21, 2014, and DAI Kabul-based personnel immediately traveled to Mazar-e-Sharif to begin searching for appropriate guesthouse and office locations. The start-up team proposed the former RAMP UP-North guesthouse as the RADP-North guesthouse and DAI's Country Risk Manager approved the site and determined that only minimal security upgrades were required for the property. The team also identified office space and submitted both properties to the USAID vetting office. Approval for the guesthouse was received on July 7th, and the office was approved on September 4th. Expatriate staff moved into the guesthouse on August 4th, and the project was then able to hire additional support personnel. The procurement department conducted competition to create blanket purchase orders with local vendors to facilitate the procurement of daily operational needs, including fuel, office supplies, and food. RADP-North moved into its office on September 18th, with both functioning facilities, the program could finalize initial operational setup and hire critical technical staff needed to drive implementation in the coming quarter. The Operations Systems and Compliance Specialist worked closely with the operations team to complete startup operations files and analyze current project procedures. This analysis will inform the customization of the project field operations manual that will take place in October with the goal of streamlining internal processes to enhance project implementation through accuracy, compliance, and efficiency. Quarterly planning activities for regular operations also took place during the last week of September, and regular updates to the project inventory were made. The RADP-North team participated in a two-day value chain workshop conducted by DAI's Value Chain Specialist. All 18 participants developed a more thorough understanding of USAID's value chain approach, an ability to read/create value chain maps, understand key elements of a value chain, and identify potential growth opportunities for RADP-North beneficiaries. The workshop aimed to establish a market-focused mindset among staff to help them better carry out the ongoing planning and future implementation of their respective value chain. The RADP-North team had a discussion on how to conduct value chain analyses for CLINs 1 and 3 with available JDA and DCA resources. The team agreed that, using the value chain maps developed during the workshop, each implementing partner will focus on interviewing key informants among the market actors who belong to different value chain functions. Using these primary research findings, technical teams will draft value chain analyses that will include suggested interventions to increase wheat farmers' productivity. The RADP-North program has made significant progress in its start-up phase, with the establishment of operational systems and processes, the hiring of critical technical staff, and the initiation of value chain analyses. The program is well-positioned to drive implementation in the coming quarter and achieve its goals of advancing food and economic security for rural Afghans in six Northern provinces.