Rwanda Feed the Future Facilitate Investment Required For Sustainable ExporT (FTF FIRST) Quarterly Activity Performance Report, FY2021 Q3

The Activity will achieve this goal by working with and through the Government of Rwanda (GOR), the private sector, and civil society to facilitate $300 million in new investments into the sector. Two fundamental objectives guide the Activity: i) facilitating an inclusive and resilient policy and regulatory environment and ii) supporting local actors to attract investment. RTI International, supported by a consortium of partners— J.E. Austin Associates, Dalberg Advisors, LixCap, and Vanguard Economics— will implement the Activity in a targeted area of intervention spanning 13 districts, which make up the FTF FIRST Activity Zone of Influence (ZOI). The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the FTF FIRST Activity to RTI International on May 20, 2021. This quarterly report outlines FTF FIRST start-up activities that occurred during Quarter 3 (Q3) of 2021. During Q3, the Activity finalized its Mobilization Plan and contracts with key personnel and non-key personnel in preparation of the first Annual Work Plan. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and corresponding safety measures, no in-person meetings or travel to support start-up has occurred. The FTF FIRST Activity recruited staff, conducted contractual negotiations with partners, and initiated equipment procurements all using virtual means, such as WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams. The Activity will develop and submit its Annual Work Plan covering the period from May 2021 to September 2022. As the Activity collaborates with USAID to further refine the work plan, it will kick off inception phase assessments. These assessments include the Political Economy Analysis (PEA), Baseline Survey, initial Competitiveness Assessment, Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA), and the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Assessment and Strategy. The team will also begin to establish partnerships with key stakeholders, such as the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB). The FTF FIRST Activity Zone of Influence (ZOI) spans 13 districts in Rwanda. The Activity aims to facilitate $300 million in new investments into the sector, with two fundamental objectives: i) facilitating an inclusive and resilient policy and regulatory environment and ii) supporting local actors to attract investment. The Activity will work with and through the Government of Rwanda (GOR), the private sector, and civil society to achieve its goals. RTI International, supported by a consortium of partners, will implement the Activity. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the FTF FIRST Activity to RTI International on May 20, 2021. The Activity has finalized its Mobilization Plan and contracts with key personnel and non-key personnel in preparation of the first Annual Work Plan. The Activity will develop and submit its Annual Work Plan covering the period from May 2021 to September 2022.