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The Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade Bureau
>> Regional Overview >> Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade Overview The Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT) Bureau has been created as one of three "pillar" bureaus and supports the Agency goals of reducing poverty and hunger and promoting peace and prosperity in developing and transition countries. In FY 02, the Bureau will draw on the structures and staffing of the three Centers (EGAD, ENV, HCD) that formerly constituted a portion of the Global Bureau, with a view to better integrate and focus efforts. The Agency's Office of Women in Development will continue to play an important role within the EGAT Bureau. In addition, EGAT will, in FY 02, begin managing a number of specific initiatives that have previously been operated by regional bureaus.
Since the reorganization is not yet complete, this presentation reflects a "combined" structure of EGAT rather than the more integrated organization currently being developed.
The events of September 11 have underscored the importance of the EGAT mandate. In an ideal world, governments assure that their nations' institutions respond to people's needs and ambitions; their citizens are able to acquire the information, knowledge, and the skills they need to innovate as well as survive; and they are empowered to take an active role in building a sustainable economy and equitable society. Often, however, the ideal is not realized. More than one billion people still live on less than $2 a day. The number of hungry people in the developing world is growing, not shrinking, and is acute in Africa. More than 110 million children have never attended school. Nearly a billion adults are not literate. Almost a third of the world's population is facing shortages of water. And valuable reservoirs of biodiversity are being threatened by actions taken for short-term gain.
The EGAT agenda addresses these global challenges and is designed to strengthen the capability of our field missions to work collaboratively with governments, entrepreneurs, investors, traders, scientists, farmers, parents, and community groups. Increasing incomes, for example, requires capacity of countries and firms to trade in competitive global markets. This, in turn, may lead to country-based assistance programs that promote policy and regulatory reform, improve institutions that facilitate trade, improve financial systems, and expand the use of new technologies.
To accomplish this broad agenda, EGAT seeks to make the best possible technical information available to those who need it, drawing on the strengths of the academic, as well as practitioner, communities. EGAT develops tools that permit efficient analysis and management of diverse problems and trains USAID partners in developing and transitional countries. It stimulates cross-sectoral thinking that sheds more light on old issues; promotes increased collaboration with other USG and international organizations; and focuses on those actions that can make a difference.
In FY 2002 and FY 2003, the Bureau will program $152.9 million and $154.8 million, respectively. These funds will be used for pilot activities including innovative research, formation of partnerships, project implementation tools and mechanisms, technical expertise, and training. Through these activities, EGAT will provide the underpinnings for effective Agency assistance programs in more than 70 countries worldwide.
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
Overview
