FOOD FOR PEACE OFFICER

U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Food for Peace (FFP) provides grants for food assistance to private voluntary organizations (PVOs) and the UN World Food Program (WFP) under Title II of Public Law 480. In fiscal year 2007, FFP provided 2.1 million metric tons of commodities, worth over $1.8 billion, to over 40 million people in 64 countries. FFP provides both emergency food aid (which aims to address food aid needs arising from natural disasters, such as floods or droughts, and complex emergencies often characterized by insecurity and population displacement) and non-emergency food aid (which aims to address the underlying causes of chronic food insecurity). Madagascar confronts chronic food insecurity, with acute crises brought on by recurrent climatic factors, including frequent cyclones and erratic rainfall. The recurrent shocks exacerbate the underlying vulnerability of many resource-poor Malagasy households, who have little capacity to cope. FFP has addressed these problems with PL480 Title II support through four programs over the past several years -- three development programs being implemented by PVOs and emergency food aid support through the WFP. In fiscal years 2007 and 2008, Madagascar received over $30 million in Title II food assistance. In FY 2009, FFP expects to approve a new set of five-year non-emergency programs at a cost of $15,000,000 annually. Title II food aid grants are signed by the Director of FFP, and the FFP/Washington Country Backstop Officer is usually the Agreement Officer's Technical Representative (AOTR) who is responsible for the technical oversight of the grants. The USAID Mission has overall responsibility for assistance programs in the country. To help determine the need for, and improve, monitor, and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of assistance provided under the Title II non-emergency food aid program in Madagascar, USAID/Madagascar requires the services of a FFP Officer (FFPO) hired through a Personal Services Contract. The position is based in Antananarivo, but the FFPO is expected to spend approximately forty (40) percent of his/her time traveling throughout the country to monitor program activities and assess food aid needs. USAID/Madagascar is also in the process of creating a Food Security (FS) team, and the FFPO would serve as the head of this team. The Food Security team is composed of the FFPO and two foreign service nationals working on the Title II program.