Solicitation of Input from Stakeholder on Title II Food for Peace Non-Emergency Programming

The Request for Information (RFI) for the Non Emergency Title II Food for Peace Program is issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the authority of Title II of the Agricultural Trade and Development Assistance Act of 1954. This initiative is administered through the Foreign Agricultural Service and represents an effort to gather stakeholder input rather than to solicit funding applications. The RFI explicitly states that it is not a Notice of Funding Opportunity or funding solicitation and does not commit the U.S. Government to issuing future funding opportunities. Instead, it serves as a planning and consultation mechanism to inform potential future program design and implementation strategies. The Food for Peace program has longstanding roots in U.S. agricultural and foreign assistance policy, dating back to post World War II efforts to share agricultural surplus globally. The non emergency component of Title II programming is designed to complement emergency food aid by focusing on long term development objectives. These include enhancing food security, reducing chronic and acute malnutrition, strengthening resilience to shocks, and supporting sustainable recovery in vulnerable communities. The program operates through the procurement and distribution of U.S. agricultural commodities, emphasizing in kind food assistance as a central delivery mechanism. The scope of this RFI centers on gathering insights related to program design, commodity utilization, nutrition strategies, and operational implementation. USDA seeks feedback on resilience focused activities such as agricultural development, natural resource management, disaster preparedness, and livelihood strengthening. Additional emphasis is placed on integrating food assistance with broader development goals, improving local food systems, and ensuring sustainability and local ownership. Stakeholders are also invited to provide input on commodity selection, supply chain logistics, packaging, and cost considerations that influence program effectiveness. Nutrition is a critical component of the program, with particular attention to vulnerable populations including children and pregnant or lactating women. The RFI invites recommendations on nutritional planning, including fortification approaches and targeted age groups for intervention. It also seeks input on balancing U.S. commodity availability with the needs and absorption capacity of recipient countries, ensuring that aid delivery does not disrupt local markets or create dependency. Eligibility to respond to the RFI is broadly open to stakeholders with relevant expertise or experience, including implementers, researchers, industry participants, and other interested parties. Responses must be submitted in English, adhere to formatting guidelines, and not exceed ten pages. Submissions are to be sent via email to the designated USDA inbox, and respondents are responsible for all preparation costs. The RFI explicitly prohibits the inclusion of proprietary or confidential information, as all submissions may be used without restriction for internal planning purposes. The timeline for this RFI includes an issuance date of July 6, 2026 and a response deadline of July 24, 2026 at 5 PM Eastern Time. There are no pre application requirements, and no funding decisions or awards will result directly from this process. USDA will not provide feedback on submissions, and participation does not confer any advantage in future funding opportunities. While this RFI is non binding, it plays an important role in shaping future iterations of the Food for Peace program and ensuring that stakeholder perspectives are incorporated into program development.