Call for Proposals: Sustainable Inclusive Value Chains and Food Fortification

25 February 2016. Brussels. EU public information session on the launch of two calls for proposals with a combined value of €57 million with the objective of developing inclusive and sustainable agriculture-based value chains (Lot 1) and fortified foods (Lot 2) that improve food security for the poor and vulnerable and that reduce poverty and under-nutrition. 

1. Lot 1 specifically focuses on smallholder farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) agribusinesses in developing countries as final beneficiaries by increasing income opportunities, creating jobs and business opportunities along the agricultural supply chains in an inclusive and sustainable manner.
   Lot 1 – Value Chains (S.O. 1 & 2):  EUR 27 million.
2. Lot 2 aims to strengthen the production, diffusion and consumption of accessible technologically viable and culturally acceptable fortified food, compliant with national and international standards. It will involve working with government and intergovernmental regulatory bodies, the food processing private sector operators and civil society, reinforcing public-private partnerships.
   Lot 2 – Food Fortification (S.O. 3): EUR 30 million

Background:

1. This call was launched on 12 February and is open until 29 March 2016.
2. In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must be among one of the following eligible countries in LDCs and other low income countries from Africa (see however the full list in the Guidelines for grant applicants.docx)(c) Least developed countries (LDC) : Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia
   (d) Other low income countries: Kenya, Zimbabwe
3. Any requested EU contribution (amount) under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
   Lot 1 – Value chains:
   • minimum amount: EUR 3 million
   • maximum amount: EUR 7 million
   Lot 2 – Food fortification:
   • minimum amount: EUR 1 million
   • maximum amount: EUR 4 million
4. Full details of the call are available here. 
5. A public information session about these calls, lasting more than one hour, took place on 25 February 2016. 
6. The video of the session is available here. "Probably a total number of 9 projects will be funded under this call": Regis Meritan (DG DevCo European Commission)