Integra and Clark University, on behalf of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), revealed findings from the Pathways to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Africa study on September 13^th at the Wilson Center. The event was open to the public, as well as broadcast live as a webinar.

The Senior Advisor on the project, Ed Carr, presented the study’s findings. The study concluded that CSA presents a unique and urgent opportunity for a larger and more systematic view of the constraints in agriculture in Africa. Additionally, there are key disconnects between farmers and practitioners in terms of factors of adoption. Finally, there are key differences between believed barriers and incentives, indicating that practitioners do not seem to have traced the value of such incentives back to particular barriers they might address.

After this presentation, a panel of experts on CSA discussed the barriers and incentives to CSA adoption by farmers in Africa. Accompanying Ed Carr on the panel was Ademola Briamoh, CSA Coordinator for the Africa Region at the World Bank, Caitlin Corner-Dolloff, CSA Program Manager at the United States Department of Agriculture, and Seth Shames, Director of Policy and Markets at EcoAgriculture Partners. This panel was moderated by Roger-Mark De Souza, Director of Population, Environmental Security, and Resilience at the Wilson Center.

Integra would like to thank the Wilson Center for making this event such a success.

To view the webinar, and learn more about Pathways to Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa, click here: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/pathways-to-climate-smart-agriculture-africa

As the implementor of USAID’s Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge, Integra is proud to announce that over $900,000 will be awarded to our four Grand Prize Winners to accelerate their solutions to combat wildlife crime. Chosen from 16 elite Prize Winners, these innovators presented truly exceptional and promising innovations that can significantly impact the fight against the illegal trafficking of terrestrial and marine wildlife. The Grand Prize Winners and their solutions, in no particular order include:

1. New England Aquarium: Automated Shipment Forensics
2. New York University:  Enforcement Gaps Interface
3. University of Washington: Genetically Tracking the Illegal Pangolin Trade to Identify Poaching Hotspots
4. The National Whistleblower Center: The Global Wildlife Whistleblower Program

The Grand Prizes will accelerate and scale these groundbreaking science and tech solutions in the fight against wildlife crime. To learn more about the Grand Prize Winners and each of their solutions, please visit the Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge website here.

Further, all of the Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge Prize Winners need an active community of supporters to help them stamp out illegal wildlife trade. For more information or to support our winners,  please contact the Challenge at info@wildlifecrimetech.org.

As the implementor of USAID’s Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge, Integra is excited to announce that USAID, with support of its partners National Geographic, Smithsonian, and TRAFFIC, has selected 16 Prize Winners to receive $10,000 as well as technical and networking assistance. Selected from a pool of 300 Applicants from 52 countries, Prize Winners comprise individuals, nonprofits, academic institutions, and corporations from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Winning innovations range from camera traps integrated with seismic sensors to portable electronic “sniffers” and online whistleblower platforms.

Each will receive Prize Package of $10,000, recognition, networking opportunities, technical support to scale or accelerate their solutions, and the opportunity to compete for a Grand Prize of up to $500,000. USAID will use Grand Prizes to target and invest in the most promising solutions. To learn more about Prize Winners and their solutions please click here.

The Challenge is also seeking individuals or groups that will work with Prize Winners to accelerate their solutions and bring them to new markets and users. To learn more about how can support Prize Winners to combat wildlife crime, please contact the Challenge via email at info@wildlifecrimetech.org or visit the Challenge website here.

Drip Irrigation in Cabo Verde

Integra is pleased to announce that it has been awarded USAID’s Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Uptake Study under the REPLACE IDIQ. The study, commissioned by USAID’s Africa Bureau, will assess the barriers to and incentives for African farmers to adopt CSA practices.

Climate Smart Agriculture refers to the suite of practices or approaches that sustainably increase agricultural productivity, adapt and build resilience to climate change in agricultural systems, and/or reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. There are hundreds of CSA practices, and the most well-known include drip irrigation, no-till farming, and the use of weather information systems to make planting decisions. Donor agencies and governments have been promoting these and similar practices to African farmers for years, with mixed results.

The study will assess the current status of CSA uptake, and it will gather information on known barriers to the adoption of CSA practices and effective incentives for encouraging their uptake. This will be done through an in-depth literature review, interviews with key actors in both Africa and the United States, and through two field-based case studies in different regions of Africa. The information will be rigorously  analyzed, and, working with USAID, we will develop recommendations for future programming. Our work will result in USAID Missions and others in Africa taking more effective and realistic approaches to promoting CSA practices.

Integra is pleased to announce that it has been awarded USAID’s Performance and Technical Evaluation of the Foreign Assistance Coordination and Tracking System (FACTS Info) Next Generation project. In partnership with Sonjara, Inc., a women-owned ICT for development firm, Integra will conduct an analysis to identify the technical and functionality issues that may be contributing to delays and challenges within the FACTS Info System. In addition to identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the system, the evaluation will also identify any management problems that may have occurred during the project’s implementation.

This evaluation is Integra’s first award under its MOBIS Schedule 874, recently acquired in May 2015. This government-wide, multiple award schedule contract allows Integra to provide a full range of consulting and business program support services to federal agencies looking to improve performance and meet mission goals. The vehicle is accessible to all federal agencies, which may place orders directly with Integra. For more information regarding Integra’s schedule, please visit the GSA website here.