Sunday, September 29, 2019

Restore the Earth Global Landscapes Forum New York

28 September 2019. New York. To mark the adoption of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration – connecting land and water – and to ensure this opportunity reaches its full potential, the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) organized a one-day event back-to-back with the opening of the 74th UN General Assembly (UN GA) and shortly after the UN Secretary-General’s 2019 Climate Action Summit.

Restore the Earth Global Landscapes Forum New York was a global consultation in the run up to the official launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration in 2021. The objective of this critical first meeting was to raise awareness, define the land and seascapes the world needs to be restored to a sustainable state, and launch a global movement that will restore up to 2 billion hectares of degraded ecosystems and achieve the UN SDGs.



https://events.globallandscapesforum.org/new-york-2019/join-online/

GLOBAL LANDSCAPES FORUM

The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on integrated land use, dedicated to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Agreement. The Forum takes a holistic approach to create sustainable landscapes that are productive, prosperous, equitable and resilient and considers five cohesive themes of food and livelihood initiatives, landscape restoration, rights, finance and measuring progress. It is led by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), in collaboration with its co-founders UN Environment and the World Bank and Charter Members. 

Charter members: CIRAD, CIFOR, Climate Focus, Conservation International, Ecoagriculture Partners, The European Forest Institute, Evergreen Agriculture, FSC, GEF, IPMG, CIAT, ICIMOD, IFOAM - Organics International, INBAR, IUFRO, Rainforest Alliance, Rare, Rights and Resources Initiative, UN Environment, Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation part of Wageningen Research, World Agroforestry, World Resources Institute, WWF Germany, Youth in Landscapes Initiative (YIL), World Bank Group

Extract of the programme

Opening: Restore the Earth
  • Tony Simons - Director General, World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
  • Inger Andersen - Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
  • Christiane Paulus Director General, Nature Conservation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, German Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU)
Resetting the Restoration Agenda Completed
  • Susan Chomba (see picture) - Social Scientist, World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
    3 key myths to debunk on land #restoration!
    We have simple magic bullets for land restoration.
    As long as we are planting millions of trees we will be fine...
    We can scale up land restoration via small isolated pilot projects
  • Daniel Murdiyarso - Principal Scientist, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
  • Leigh Ann Winowiecki - Soil Systems Scientist, World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
  • Himlal Baral - Senior Scientist, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
  • Ravi Prabhu (see picture) - Deputy Director General (Research), World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
Survival Diets and Healthy Food Systems
Agriculture: Supplying Success in Landscapes
  • Louise Mabulo - Award-winning chef, entrepreneur, agriculture advocate, public speaker and competitive archer
  • Roselyn Fosuah Adjei - Director Climate Change Directorate, Forestry Commission of Ghana
  • Otto Valadares - Farmer, Cerrado, Brazil
Forests: EverGreening the Earth’s Degraded Landscapes
  • Dennis Garrity  (see picture) - Chairman of the Board, Global EverGreening Alliance; Senior Fellow, WRI; Distinguished Senior Research Fellow, World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
  • Chris Armitage - CEO, Global EverGreening Alliance
  • Stephen Fern - Chairman of the Board, G9 Ark
  • Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie - Director for Africa, UNDP
Drylands and Rangelands: Harnessing Change
  • Fiona Flintan   (see picture) - Senior Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
  • Gabriel Seghezzo - Director, Fundapaz Argentina and Coordinator of the Semi-Arids Platform Latin America
  • Sukhbold Sukhee - Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the United Nations
  • Paola Agostini - Lead Natural Resources Management Specialist, Europe and Central Asia, World Bank
  • Daisy Hessenberger - Young Professional, IUCN
  • Umaru Sule - Member, Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association (MBOSCUDA)
Wanjũhĩ Njoroge Youth in Landscapes (YIL) representative

Farmers taking the lead: 30 years of Farmer Field Schools

27 September 2019. The FFS has been one of the most successful approach developed and promoted by FAO over the last 30 years, empowering farmers to become better decision makers in their own farming systems. Initiated by FAO in 1989, and followed by many other organizations and institutions, the FFS programmes represent one of the most important “result of the collective action of millions of small-scale farmers”.

FFS programmes work with local groups of farmers and pastoralists to help improve knowledge and technical skills through a process of critical thinking. Participants enhance their understanding of agro-ecosystems, which leads to production systems that are more resilient in local conditions and optimize the use of available resources. FFS aim to improve farmers’ livelihoods and recognize their role as innovators and guardians of natural environments. FFS offer farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolks, foresters and their communities a place where they can discuss and make practical experiments.

Nature Based Solutions (NBS), Climate Action Summit 2019

Nature-based Solutions for NDCs Pathway Framework
September 20, 2019

The “Pathway for Increasing Nature-based Solutions in the Nationally Determined Contributions: A seven-step approach for national governments to integrate or enhance nature-based solutions in their NDCs” provides a framework for governments to identify potential NBS with the aim of enhancing their climate mitigation and adaptation action in a cost-effective manner and with multiple co-benefits.

This Pathway provides governments with a concise summary of specific actions to consider, organized in seven steps:

Step 1 – Establish an understanding of the national greenhouse gas accounting context
Step 2 – Identify and review existing nature-based actions in national legal and institutional frameworks
Step 3 – Identify and review nature-based actions in the current NDC
Step 4 – Develop a rapid analysis for estimating the climate change mitigation and adaptation potential of the existing nature-based actions
Step 5 – Crosswalk nature-based solution pathways with existing measurable nature-based actions and identify opportunities for enhancing NDCs using spatial data
Step 6 – Integrate measurable nature-based actions into the NDC
Step 7 – Improve or create the enabling conditions to support implementation of NBS integrated into the NDC
Check out the complementary Nature-based Solutions for NDCs Toolkit here.

Related:
22 September 2019. Nature Based Solutions (NBS), Climate Action Summit 2019.

The Nature-Based Solutions Coalition of the UN Climate Action Summit hosted a high-level event to highlight the critical role of nature for climate action and the pathways to unlocking nature’s full potential for mitigation and adaptation to deliver the Paris Agreement and carbon neutrality by 2050.

The event was convened by the UN Secretary-General, featuring Heads of State and Ministers, and leaders from international organizations, civil society, private sector, youth and indigenous peoples, among other key stakeholders.

Extract of the programme:
Scaling-up NBS for Mitigation, Resilience and Adaptation
The solutions exist, they are people-centered, practical and achievable. They can be implemented everywhere if adequately supported through shifts in national governance and financing processes, widespread popular mobilization and partnering among multiple stakeholders
  • Rt. Hon. Zac Goldsmith UK, Minister for Environment and International Development 
  • HE Sergio Costa, Italy, Minister of Environment, Land and Sea 
  • Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UN Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD) 
  • Divine Ntiokam, Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network, Cameroon 
  • Grethel Aguilar, Acting Director General, IUCN 
  • Jennifer Morris, President of Conservation International 
  • Ruandha Agung Sugardiman, Director General of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Indonesia 
  • HE Lee White, Minister for Forests, Sea, Environment and Climate, Republic of Gabon

Food Security and the achievement of SDGs in Africa: what role of South-South and triangular cooperation

23 September 2019. On the sidelines of the World Sustainable Development Summit, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) organized a High Level Panelon “Food Security and the achievement of SDGs in Africa: what role for South-South and triangularcooperation”.

This panel included a presentation of African inter-governmental initiatives including the triple A initiative which promotes the adaptation of agriculture to climate change and the triple S (Sustainability, Security and Stability) in Africa which aims at stabilizing agricultural production and natural resources in high-risk areas.


Several initiatives have been launched in Africa to intensify South-South and triangular cooperation with the objective of promoting sustainable agriculture which would allow the continent to ensure its food security through capacity building, technology transfer, the financing of climate change actions and political dialogue.
  1. The first initiative, commonly known as Triple A, promotes and fosters the implementation of specific projects to improve soil management, agricultural water control, climate risk management and capacity building & funding solutions. The initiative is an important response not only to climate change, but also to food insecurity. 
  2. The second one triple S is related to Sustainability, Security and Stability in Africa (3S) and aims at creating jobs for young people, women and migrants through the restoration of degraded lands by strengthening land access and tenure rights as well as by enhancing early warning systems to predict drought and other natural disasters and effectively respond to the displacement of populations. 
Regional and international institutions such as Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and other partners are also attaching special importance to food security and sustainable agricultural development.

Global Coalition promises $650 Million to Accelerate CGIAR efforts


New York, New York (23 September 2019) — A coalition of donors, aid institutions and philanthropy promised today to invest more than US $650 million in the CGIAR System Organization to help 300 million smallholder farmers in developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, which already are eroding crop and livestock production in places like sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The investments from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the European Commission, Switzerland, Sweden, and Germany are part of a broader commitment of more than US $790 million to address the impact of climate change on food and agriculture. The investments announced today at the United Nations Climate Action Summit are a response to a call to action from the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) urging world leaders to mount a “massive effort to adapt to conditions that are now inevitable.”
The GCA is co-chaired by Bill Gates, former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva. Earlier this month, the GCA put forward an agenda for adaptation that contains a detailed action plan for confronting climate threats to agriculture and food security and a recommendation to double the scale of agricultural research through the CGIAR System.
“ The new investments announced today are a recognition that we have just 11 growing seasons between now and 2030 and farmers need a host of new innovations to overcome a growing array of climate threats. This new funding is an important start towards a global effort to substantially increase support for CGIAR activities.”
“We know a lot about the crops they grow, the livestock they keep and the challenges and opportunities they currently face. We are ready to put the full force of our insights and activities behind a major effort to confront the climate emergency they now face.” Elwyn Grainger-Jones, Executive Director of the CGIAR System Organization.
CGIAR is a global research partnership dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources for smallholder farmers in the developing world. Investments in CGIAR have proven to be highly cost-effective, generating returns ranging from $2 to $17 for every $1 invested, with significant economic benefits for producers and consumers. CGIAR’s 15 Research Centers are working as a single unit under its flagship Two Degree Initiative for Food and Agriculture. The Two Degree effort is helping small-scale food producers across the globe adapt their farming systems, livelihoods, and landscapes to weather extremes and embrace production practices that lower emissions.

The investment announced today will support a wide range of activities across the CGIAR System to deliver a steady stream of adaptation solutions to smallholder farmers. The commitments to agriculture adaptation announced today include:
  • US $310 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over the next three years to support CGIAR’s shared agenda to tackle climate change and make food production in the developing world more productive, resilient and sustainable. The foundation is the second-largest donor to CGIAR after the US Agency for International Development (USAID), with investments contributing to work in crop breeding, seed systems, gender equity, livestock, nutrition, and policy.
  • US $150 million from the World Bank for CGIAR efforts on behalf of smallholder farmers in the developing world over the next three years. “The World Bank is working towards a stepped-up effort on agricultural research in Africa. Towards this end, the Bank intends to work with its partners to develop an IDA financing package of US $60 million for CGIAR-based institutions in Africa,” said Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank Acting CEO. “Together with its on-going contributions, the Bank could potentially provide support on the order of $150 million over the next three years.”
  • The Netherlands will reorient €100 million (US $110 million) towards food systems that are not only more productive but more adaptive and resilient. The Netherlands will also increase its contribution to CGIAR to €50 million (US $55 million) over two years. The country’s work with CGIAR initiatives includes a strong focus on developing public-private partnerships (PPPs), pursuing research that supports the SDGs, including efforts to help women farmers, and emphasizing the role of urban and rural consumers in achieving sustainable food systems.
  • The UK, through DFID, is committing £45 million (US $56 million) for CGIAR in 2020, alongside an additional £27 million (US $34 million) to support the Global Commission’s recommendations on agriculture. DFID’s past investments have enabled CGIAR to scale-up efforts to develop crop varieties and farming systems that are more resilient and productive along with markets, value chains, technologies and policies that deliver benefits – along with better health and nutrition – to poor communities.
  • Switzerland has committed 33.1 CHF million (US $33 million) to CGIAR for 2020-21. Switzerland’s close partnership with CGIAR targets efforts to find innovative solutions for high-quality food and sustainable natural resource management.
  • The European Commission has committed €32.3 million (US $35 million) to CGIAR for 2020-21. The Commission, through its Development Cooperation (DEVCO) financing, supports CGIAR to develop and maintain a global policy dialogue with regard to a demand-driven agricultural research and innovation agenda.
  • Sweden has committed to increase funding to CGIAR to 150 million SEK (US $16 million). Sweden, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), has been a partner of CGIAR since 1973, supporting efforts to reduce poverty and famine, and improve health and nutrition through international research, partnerships and leadership.
  • Germany, through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commits to strengthen the resilience of 60 million small-scale farmers. In addition, BMZ, together with partners of the InsuResilience Global Partnership, aims at scaling-up access to micro-insurance for 150 million people by 2025, of which more than 90 percent will be smallholder farmers.

How CGIAR is Leading the Charge on Agriculture Adaptation

CGIAR’s work is concentrated in areas of the developing world where most people work in agriculture and farming is the main source of food and income for hundreds of millions of households. Climate change is already producing a surge in the frequency and intensity of droughts that is damaging production of Africa’s most important crop, maize, while increased flooding in South Asia is endangering rice harvests that sustain millions. Climate change is also threatening to reverse major reductions in poverty in places like Rwanda, Ghana and Ethiopia that have been achieved largely by boosting the productivity of smallholder farms.
CGIAR researchers already are delivering a host of new crop varieties to farmers in places like Nigeria and Pakistan that can survive stressful conditions like drought and flooding. And they are rapidly developing more sustainable and resilient approaches to boosting crop and livestock production and reducing climate risks. That includes affordable insurance for poor livestock keepers that uses satellite data to monitor grazing conditions over vast areas and a “climate smart village” approach to resilience that helps entire farming communities embrace a range of new approaches, like drip irrigation for their fruits and vegetables and hardy, more productive livestock breeds.

Examples of CGIAR’s climate-focused innovations include:
  • Dozens of new varieties of drought-tolerant maize for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa that are increasing farmers’ yields by 20-30 percent. In Zimbabwe, maize farmers already are harvesting an additional 600 kilos or more than 1,300 pounds per hectare. Further adoption across the region will benefit 30-40 million people in 13 countries and provide added grain worth US $160-200 million per year in drought-affected areas, generating up to $1.5 billion in benefits for producers and consumers.
  • Climate change-ready rice, including new “scuba rice” varieties that survive underwater for up to 17 days could benefit 18 million farming households and save millions more from hunger. In Bangladesh and India alone, rice lost to flooding each year could feed 30 million people.
  • In Nigeria, improved varieties of cassava developed by CGIAR scientists already have helped 1.8 million farmers escape poverty. CGIAR breeders are now developing even better varieties of this naturally hardy crop that offer disease-resistance and higher levels of Vitamin A, a nutrient especially critical to childhood development.
  • New varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes developed to match a host of different farming conditions are rapidly gaining popularity in sub-Saharan Africa. They also offer high levels of Vitamin A and can survive climate stress that kills other crops. CGIAR is delivering a host of other climate-smart crop varieties, including heat- and drought-tolerant beans and improved varieties of neglected grains like pearl millet and sorghum.
  • CGIAR experts are developing solar-powered irrigation pumps for large-scale distribution in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The pumps are to be deployed alongside advanced information systems to ensure they can help farmers sustainably adapt to increasingly unreliable rains, but without stressing available water resources.

2nd Edition of Euro-Global Conference on Food Science and Technology

19-21 September 2019. London. FAT 2019 served as a platform for food scientists, food technologist, food chemists, food engineers, students, young researchers from academia and business organizations to share their views and research on the current trend in food science, food technology and food chemistry.

Building upon the success of First edition at Rome, Italy in 2018, Food Science Conference 2019 provided extensive information on rapid scientific and technological advances that are transforming the way our foods are produced, processed and consumed. 

It addressed current techniques, identified key challenges and proposed effective solutions.

FAT 2019 was composed of keynote lectures, oral and poster presentations, workshops and interactive sessions in a friendly and learning environment which uplifts your research and knowledge.

More info via FAT2019 web site | Useful hashtag #FAT2019.

2nd All Africa Postharvest Congress

17 September 2019. Addis Ababa. 2nd All Africa Postharvest Congress. This four day Congress was organized by the African Union Commission in collaboration with the University of Nairobi, Stellenbosch University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Specific objectives:

  • to raise awareness on food losses and waste through data and information sharing; 
  • Showcase effective strategies, technologies, practices, initiatives for postharvest loss reduction; 
  • Monitor and review progress on postharvest loss reduction initiatives against set targets; 
  • and build and strengthen linkages and partnerships for resource mobilization and other activities geared towards postharvest loss reduction. 

In recognition of the devastating effects of Post-Harvest Loss and food waste, the African Union Heads of State and Government included in their 2014 Malabo Declaration, a call to reduce postharvest losses in Africa by 50 percent by the year 2025.

In addition, African Union Commission, with support from partners Rockefeller Foundation and FAO developed the African Union Post-Harvest Loss Management Strategy.
“This strategy will support our 55 member states in implementing actions at all levels in agricultural and food value chains to reduce post-harvest losses on our continent. It is the first-ever post-harvest loss strategy for the continent and a clear demonstration of the African Union’s commitment to continue to provide the right strategies and frameworks to guide our member states to increase agricultural productivity, create jobs, and improve incomes through strengthening our value chains and by reducing post-harvest losses,” H.E Prof. Victor Harrison representing Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Amb. Josefa Sacko
Further given the scale of the greenhouse gas impact of food loss and waste, the AU’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture is working with AU member states to include measures to reduce food loss and waste in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. These measures include policies, programs, practices, and technologies that reduce food losses on the farm, during storage and distribution, at market, and in the home.

Resources:
August 2018. Post-Harvest Loss Management Strategy August 2018

Aflatoxins: The Climate, Gender and Nutritional Linkages

12 September 2019. Aflatoxins: The Climate, Gender and Nutritional Linkages

In this webinar, panelists from the International Food Policy Research Institute, USAID’s Bureau for Food Security, Purdue University and the former chief economist of the World Food Program discussed how aflatoxins relate to climate change, gender and nutrition. It specifically addressed the following questions:
  • How might aflatoxin levels change for maize and groundnuts as a result of climate change? 
  • What are the key nutritional and gendered entry points to address aflatoxins? 
  • What are ongoing, key USAID interventions to address this challenge?
The webinar was hosted as part of the Gender, Climate Change and Nutrition Integration Initiative which aims to strengthen integration of climate, gender and nutrition interventions and data for more impactful development outcomes of USAID and partner interventions.

Panelists:
  • Elizabeth Bryan, Senior Scientist, in IFPRI’s Environment and Production Technology Division, will moderate the session
  • Meredith Soule, Technical Division Chief, Bureau for Food Security, will provide a short introduction to GCAN
  • Timothy Thomas, a Research Fellow at IFPRI, will present projections of aflatoxin concentration under climate change, work jointly developed with the University of Florida
  • Lynn Brown, an Independent Consultant and the former chief economist of the World Food Program, will discuss linkages of aflatoxins with gender and nutrition as well as potential solutions
  • Ahmed Kablan, Senior Nutrition and Food Safety Research Advisor, Bureau of Food Security, USAID, will discuss the Bureau’s approaches to tackling aflatoxin challenges, and
  • Jonathan Bauchet, Purdue University, will show results from a USAID-funded field experiment on interventions designed to reduce aflatoxin contamination among smallholder farmers\


Reading materials

Brown, L. 2018. Aflatoxins in food and feed: Impacts, Risks, and Management Strategies. GCAN project note No. 9. Washington DC: IFPRI.

Thomas, T.S., R. Robertson and K.J. Boote. 2019. Evaluating risk of aflatoxin field contamination from climate change using new modules inside DSSAT. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1859. Washington, DC: IFPRI. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Related:

Mycotoxins. Impact and Management Strategies
Edited by Patrick Berka Njobeh ; Co-editor: Francois Stepman
Published: August 28th 2019

This Edited Volume Mycotoxins - Impact and Management Strategies is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of Mycotoxicology. The book comprises of single chapters authored by various researchers and edited by an expert active in this research area. This book is divided into three sections.
  1. Section 1 consists of one chapter that gives an overview of the socioeconomic impact of mycotoxins. 
  2. Section 2 has five chapters that address the prevention and control of aflatoxins both at pre- and post-harvest stages. 
  3. Section 3 has two chapters that deal with health impact and control in the poultry industry. This publication aims at providing a thorough overview of the latest research efforts in the field and opens new possible research paths for further novel developments in addressing the problem of mycotoxins.
Chapters:
  1. The Socio-Economic Impact of Mycotoxin Contamination in Africa - By Sefater Gbashi, Ntakadzeni Edwin Madala, Sarah De Saeger, Marthe De Boevre, Ifeoluwa Adekoya, Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo and Patrick Berka Njobeh
  2. Effect of Harvesting Time and Drying Methods on Aflatoxin Contamination in Groundnut in Mozambique - By Emmanuel Zuza Jnr, Amade Muitia, Manuel I.V. Amane, Rick L. Brandenburg, Andrew Emmott and Ana M. Mondjana 
  3. Preharvest Management Strategies and Their Impact on Mycotoxigenic Fungi and Associated Mycotoxins - By Lindy J. Rose, Sheila Okoth, Bradley C. Flett, Belinda Janse van Rensburg and Altus Viljoen - 
  4.  Biological Control of Mycotoxigenic Fungi and Their Toxins: An Update for the Pre-Harvest Approach - By Mohamed F. Abdallah, Maarten Ameye, Sarah De Saeger, Kris Audenaert and Geert Haesaert 
  5. Co-Occurrence of Mycotoxins and Its Detoxification Strategies - By Mateen Abbas
  6. Aflatoxin Management Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa - By Titilayo Falade 
  7. Aflatoxins: Their Toxic Effect on Poultry and Recent Advances in Their Treatment - By Yasir Allah Ditta, Saima Mahad and Umar Bacha
  8. Control of Aflatoxicosis in Poultry Using Probiotics and Polymers - By Bruno Solis-Cruz, Daniel Hernandez-Patlan, Billy M. Hargis and Guillermo Tellez

Africa's Agri-prenuers Summit

24-26 September 2019. Nairobi, Kenya. The Africa's Agri-prenuers Summit had over 20 sessions through 2 days facilitated by key industrial players on the continent from the the production, value and market chains.

The sessions included:
  • High value fruit and vegetable farming
  • Hydroponics on a manageable budget for best results
  • Greenhouse farming and contract farming
  • Poultry farming’s best cost friendly alternative (eggs or meat) 5) Dairy farming and milk value addition options
  • Post harvest handling
  • Labour and wage handling
  • Export market certification processes
  • Tapping into financing networks
  • Tapping into best inputs options
  • Cost cutting for best results
  • The vast opportunities in spices and herbs
  • Logistics solution during post harvest handling
  • Expansion insight limiting costs
  • Affordable credit facilities for growth

Thursday, September 26, 2019

TROPENTAG 2019

18-20 September 2019. Kassel. The annual interdisciplinary conference on research in tropical and subtropical agriculture, natural resource management and rural development (TROPENTAG) was jointly organised by the universities of Berlin, Bonn, Göttingen, Hohenheim, Kassel-Witzenhausen, ZALF e.V., Ghent University (Belgium), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (Czech Republic), BOKU Vienna (Austria) and the Council for Tropical and Subtropical Research (ATSAF e.V) in co-operation with the GIZ Advisory Service on Agricultural Research for Development (BEAF).

See impressions of the Tropentag 2019 on the conference blog:
http://blog.tropentag.de 

Tropentag 2019 was organised by the Universities of Kassel and Göttingen, Germany. Students, Ph.D. students, scientists, extension workers, decision makers, politicians and practical farmers, interested and engaged in agricultural research and rural development in transition and developing countries were invited to participate and to contribute.
Tropentag 2019 summarized recent disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches that address these
gaps and traps from various angels, with different methodological approaches and regional foci. Every year another CGIAR center or CGIAR Research Program receives special attention. ICARDA was this year the main guest shedding light on its mandate and activities . This year the Tropentag conference was attended by 730 participants.

Target of the conference

The Tropentag is a development-oriented and interdisciplinary conference. It addresses issues of resource management, environment, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food, nutrition and related sciences in the context of rural development, sustainable resource use and poverty alleviation worldwide.

The Tropentag 2019 conference theme: Filling gaps and removing traps for sustainable resources development

Agriculture and forestry provide the livelihood of 3.6 billion people worldwide, mostly in sub-/tropical regions. Global change phenomena, notably population growth, rural-to-urban migration, and climate change with their socio-political, economic and ecological consequences enhance pressure on natural resources. Science-based solutions for the sustainable provision of food and non-food commodities through agriculture and forestry are manifold and address ecological, technical, social, economic and political aspects.
But there are still obstacles to overcome. Gaps – in education, responsibilities and incomes between women and men, in marketing opportunities between rural and urban farmers, between potential and actual crop yields and livestock performances are just a few examples that need to be addressed and resolved. Traps – such as neglect of relevant stakeholders, incomplete risk assessment, short-lived innovation testing, and fragmental systems assessment need to be identified and avoided.
Discussions in plenary and thematic sessions, guided poster tours and workshops provide new ideas to enhance the scientific and practical success in promoting sustainable resources management in sub-/tropical regions.

ICARDA presence at the Tropentag 2019 conference


Wednesday, 18/09/2019
Workshop 18: The “adoption gap” in small scale agricultural production systems: to reflect about the challenges of agricultural innovation transfer and scaling of innovations.
The purpose of this workshop was to reflect about the challenges of agricultural innovation transfer and scaling of innovations. The workshop dealt with the challenging question of the “adoption gap” in small scale agricultural production systems. Research of innovative agricultural technologies in rural areas has been successful. However, the adoption of these innovative farming techniques remains low.

The “Mind the Gap” project in Tunisia has been using Randomized Control Trials (RCT) with 700 farmer households to see which extension approach is the most effective regarding the adoption of innovative technologies. The Workshop focused on approach and results of the project and stimulated the discussion and reflection concerning successful innovation transfer.

Presentation of the research project (Mind the Gap), which has been testing different models of technology transfer. There was a short film showing the project approach and some activities as well as three PPT presentations with discussions. Topics of the PPT are:
  • Baseline, Follow up and gender survey results - by Boubaker Dhehibi
  • Project activities and results - by Udo Ruediger
  • Geoinformatics Options by Context (GeOC) tool  - by Bao Quang Le
Workshop 10: Funding gaps and traps in agricultural research for development
The purpose of the workshop was to reflect on how donors can support innovators and researchers to focus on workable solutions to real problems and how to bring plausible pathways to scale: turning aspirations into outcomes. The workshop highlighted 2 donors initiatives and their expectations towards agricultural research for development. Research results and innovation need to impact on development (among others: upscaling, food security and safety, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, youth and job creation, agribusiness, etc.).
Plenary sessions 
  • Introduction ot ICARDA: Margret Thalwitz, Chairperson, ICARDA board of trustees
  • Sustainable Food System and Job Creation under Water Scarcity by Jacques Wery, Deputy Director General and Director of Research, ICARDA
    Agri-food systems in the DryArc region (between Southern Europe, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and China) face a complex combination of challenges including water scarcity, rainfall variability, increased temperatures, land degradation, desertification, high population growth and migration, widespread poverty, malnutrition and unemployment. This region is expected to be among those worst affected by climate change, where reduced agricultural productivity, increased poverty, higher dependence on food imports, and increased competition for scarce natural resources will ultimately threaten the viability of agriculture and rural livelihoods.
Oral thematic sessions II Cereals and pulses sustainable agri food systems under climate change
Presentations in this session showed how current research conducted by ICARDA and its partners in the CWANA region can support a transition towards nutrition-sensitive and climate smart cereal-based agri-food systems under irrigated and rainfed conditions. the session showed in particular how plant breeding, agronomy, livestock feeding and systems analysis can be combined to support this diversification and sustainable intensification of cereal-based agri-food systems.

In dry regions food systems are largely driven by cereals, especially bread wheat. Durum wheat is also a major food crop in many parts of the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region. Barley has a specific place as it both contributes to human food (grain and malt) and livestock feed (grain, forage and straw), especially under conditions of water scarcity and low input systems. In response to increasing imports in most of the countries of the region, food policies have been focusing on bread wheat, leading to both increasing areas and yield.

A large part of this wheat expansion and intensification is occurring under irrigated agriculture while many countries in the MENA region are already above the threshold level for the use of renewable resources. At the same time the production of other crops such as pulses and forages are stagnating or declining, while they are increasingly recognized as smart foods for human and livestock nutrition. These crops are also essential for adaptation to climate change, improvement of soil fertility, management of weeds, and breaking the pest and diseases cycle of cereal-based cropping systems.
Speakers:
  • Jacques Wery – Deputy Director General - Research, ICARDA
  • Yigezu Yigezu Atnafe – Senior Agricultural Economist, Social, Economy & Policy Research
  • Shiv Kumar – Agricultural Livelihood Systems Expert, Social, Economy & Policy Research
  • Andrea Visioni – Associate Scientist - Barley Breeding, Breeding programs (Wheat Barley Legumes)
  • Michael Baum – BCI Program and Morocco Platform Director, Office of the Program Director
  • Barbara Rischkowsky – Director - Resilient Agricultural Livelihood Systems Program, Office of the Program Director

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Identifying the Most Optimal Interventions Reducing Food Loss, Waste and Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Africa

2nd All Africa Post-harvest Conference

During the 2nd All Africa Postharvest Congress & Exhibition at the headquarters of the African Union Commission in Ethiopia Wageningen University and Research had the opportunity to share in several sessions the newly established worldwide hotspot analysis as developed in the CCAFS project.

Figure 1: WUR (Xuezhen Go, Jan Broeze)
This high-level analysis specifies Food Loss and Waste and related Greenhouse Gas Emissions per product category and activity along the chain in the different regions in the world. Hans Hoogeveen, ambassador and permanent representative of the Netherlands to the UN Organizations for Food and Agriculture in Rome, adopted the approach and recommended in his keynote speech in the opening session and as a panelist this as a new approach towards food loss and waste, looking beyond the loss volumes but include Greenhouse Gas Emissions because this will affect future policy agendas related to climate change. (see figure 1)


According to our most recent (and scientifically founded) data food loss and waste contribute 20 to 25% of food production related greenhouse gas emissions. From a climate perspective, all food loss and waste do not induce equal emissions. Bovine meat, dairy, and rice are top greenhouse gas same climate footprint and same hotspot crops. Currently, the top 3 polluting countries are China, India, and the United States of America. Apart from Nigeria, African countries still have a relative low climate footprint compared to countries in Industrialised Asia, South- and South East-Asia, Europe and the US. However, Africa has a high loss volumes of staple food crops like roots and tubers, see figure 2.emitting food categories. Naturally, not all countries in the world have the 

According to FAO’s recent overview of food security and nutrition in Africa: 
  • approximately 1 in every 5 people of the population of the African continent is undernourished;
  • Africa has remained the most food insecure continent in the world;
  • compared to 2015 hunger in Africa continues to rise, especially in Western- and Eastern Africa, after many years of decline;
  • climate change is a present and growing threat to food security and nutrition in Africa.

To ensure Africans’ food security priority should be given to the reduction of food loss and waste and especially to the reduction of loss in roots and tubers. Next to that, Africa has a growing middle class moving into the big cities. This migration goes hand in hand with a change of diets. Increased consumption of milk and bovine meat of this growing middle class is the prediction. This is likely to go along with an increase of African’s food loss and waste related greenhouse gas emissions. With current food loss and waste percentages for those food categories this would also induce huge food loss waste induced greenhouse gas emissions. Interventions in these supply chains are essential to lower the losses. We expect that the necessary interventions will be driven by opportunities in upcoming middle and upper markets. 

Well intended interventions to reduce food loss and waste can go along with negative trade-off’s like the increase of greenhouse gas emissions through energy use, packaging material use, etc. With our recently developed decision support Agro-Chain Greenhouse gas Emissions Calculator (ACGE Calculator) we can guide industries and policies makers to identify the most optimum interventions considering both food loss and waste and greenhouse gas emissions. 

This work is implemented as part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), which is carried out with support from CGIAR Fund Donors and through bilateral funding agreements.

For More Information Contact: heike.axmann@wur.nljan.broeze@wur.nl













Sunday, September 8, 2019

COP14: to combat Desertification, land degradation and drought



2-13 September 2019. New Delhi, India. Over 8,000 participants from all over the world

participated in COP14. The Parties to the Convention agreed on the actions each will take over the next two years and beyond to get us on a sustainable development path.

Ministers from 196 countries, scientists and representatives of national and local governments, non-governmental organizations, city leaders, the private sector, industry experts, women, youth, journalists, faith and community groups shared their expertise, and agree on the most viable solutions. New actions will be guided by an assessment of the outcomes of the decisions they took two years ago.

Desertification, land degradation and drought are huge challenges. But investing in the land and its stewards can open up vast opportunities for the economy and environmental resilience.

COP14  helped countries achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by delivering tools and resources that are fit for purpose. Tools that are built on accurate and reliable science and data, participatory processes and compromise, and benefit everyone. Countries can withstand future environmental challenges better by optimizing land management and massively scaling up sustainable practices and the restoration of degraded land.

Extract of the programme:

September 2
Applying the research in development approach to scale land restoration and achieve the LDN targets 

September 5
LANDMEDNET 
Regional initiative to counter land degradation in the Mediterranean, Near East and Eastern Europe – LANDMEDNET

African Initiative for Combating Desertification to Strengthen Resilience to Climate Change in the Sahel and Horn of Africa
“Accelerating efforts to combat desertification to achieve the SDGs, recognizing only 10 years left. (Global and multi-sector partnerships, funding mobilization, innovative technologies and approaches)”
September 6
Halting Land Degradation by Scaling-up Proven and Cost-Effective Land Management Practices

Session: Sand and Dust Storm - global overview 

Enhancing resilience and livelihoods through community-based actions 
  • Water and livelihoods: The case of irrigated farming communities of Rajasthan (India) V. NANGIA 
  • Genetic enhancement of lentil for adaptation in various cropping systems and nutritional security in South Asia A. SARKER

September 7

Local and Regional Governments Day 

September 11
Economic evaluation of integrated watershed development related interventions under the risk of climate extremes


Scaling Readiness - Improve the scaling of research innovations

The CGIAR Research Program on Roots Tubers and Bananas has developed Scaling Readiness. Scaling Readiness can support organisations, projects and programs in achieving their ambitions to scale innovations. Scaling Readiness encourages critical reflection on how “ready” innovations are for scaling, and what appropriate actions could enhance scaling.

AGRF 2019. Video interviews about the new CGIAR DryArc Initiative

3-6 September. AGRF 2019. AGRF 2019. Video interviews about the new CGIAR DryArc Initiative.

Interview with Martin Kropff, Director General of CIMMYT.
Supporting agricultural innovation in dry areas
  • What are the challenges of agriculture in dry areas
  • Why should donors support the DryArc initiative?



Interview avec Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, Directeur General IITA
IITA et la nouvelle Initiative DryArc
  • Quelle est la relation entre le programme "Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation" (TAAT)
  • et la nouvelle initiative DryArc?
  • Quelles technologies du TAAT peuvent être utiles pour la région du DryArc?
  • Les technologies de transformation dans la région du DryArc peuvent-elles être utiles pour l'Afrique sub-saharienne?


Interview with Hon. Ezzedin Abu Steit, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Egypt
South-South collaboration North Africa-SSA
  • How can African countries benefit from the annual Food Manufacturing Exhibitions in Cairo?
  • What is the expertise of the Egyptian Desert Research Center?
  • How important is the upscaling of raised-bed technologies to produce faba beans and wheat in Egypt?
  • How important is the collaboration among the CGIAR centers at the level of your country?


Interview with Prof. Martin Van Ittersum, Professor Plant Production Systems, WaCASA, Wageningen University

Maize productivity must increase four-fold to meet growing demand in Africa.
  • How urgent is the need for an increased maize production in Africa?
  • Is this a trade-off between higher production and higher CO2 emissions?
  • Can the current modelling systems allow for seasonal forecasting?
  • Would it be possible to foresee good years from bad years?


Interview with Dr. Stefan SCHMITZ, Deputy Director-General, Department of Food, Rural Development and Natural Resources, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

New challenges for the dry arid areas
  • What are the specific challenges of dry arid areas?
  • What is breeding for better seeds so important?
  • Why is trade important for agricultural development?
  • What about cross-border trade?
  • Do you encourage a greater collaboration among CGIAR centers?



Friday, September 6, 2019

AGRF 2019. Coping with the quadruple maize demand in sub-Saharan Africa

6 September 2019. 3 - 6 September 2019. The African Green Revolution Forum 2019. The Great Challenge: Can sub-Saharan Africa Become Self-Sufficient in Food Production with Minimum GHG Emissions?

Chairs: AFAP, OCP and YARA with support of AfDB, AGRA, BMGF, Corteva, FAO, UPL, USAID and Syngenta

Even though SSA has a huge potential to increase food production on existing cropland it will be an enormous challenge for agriculture to achieve the required level of productivity to meet growing demand. Steep population growth and changing dietary preferences will quadruple maize demand. Can production keep up? At what cost to the environment? To achieve full food self-sufficiency will require, in addition to yield gap closure, contributions from increased cropping intensity (more than one harvest per year) and expansion of irrigated production area in regions that can support these options in a sustainable manner. If these intensification options are not realized, it will increase dependence on cereal imports and vast expansion of rainfed cropland area with severe consequences in terms of loss of biodiversity and increased greenhouse gas emissions due to land use change.

Moderator: Mr. Øystein Botillen, Stakeholder Relations and Business Development Manager, Yara

Keynote Speaker: Prof. Martin Van Ittersum, Professor Plant Production Systems, WaCASA, Wageningen University

Panel:
  • Hon. Amie Fabureh, Minister of Agriculture, The Gambia
  • Mr. Albin Hubscher, President and CEO, IFDC
  • Dr. Rebbie Hawara, Head of Soil and Fertilizer Systems, AGRA
  • Ms. Marie Claire Kalihangabo, Coordinator AFFM Secretariat, African Development Bank
  • Mr. Emiliano Mroue, CEO, WARC Group Chairperson, Task force for Abuja
Closing Remarks
  • Mr. Antonio Saraiva, Head of Business Sustainability, AME, Syngenta
  • Dr. Christian Witt, Senior Program Officer for Soil Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Video interview with Prof. Martin Van Ittersum, Professor Plant Production Systems, WaCASA, Wageningen University: Maize productivity must increase four-fold to meet growing demand in Africa. He answers following questions:
  • How urgent is the need for an increased maize production in Africa?
  • Is this a trade-off between higher production and higher CO2 emissions?
  • Can the current modelling systems allow for seasonal forecasting?
  • Would it be possible to foresee good years from bad years?


Further reference:
25/04/2019. CCAFS Maize productivity must increase four-fold to meet growing demand in Africa; implications for low emissions development?
Using data from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria in West Africa and from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia in East Africa, this research shows that average production of 1.7 t/ha of maize in 2010 must increase to 6.8 t/ha to meet estimated demand in 2050.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

AR4D Funding Opportunities - September 2019

A G R I C U L T U R AL 
Research
  
The Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN) in partnership with the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) seeks projects & businesses offering energy efficient cooling solutions, to provide them with comprehensive services which, depending on their needs and maturity, may include business coaching, investment facilitation, tipping point technical assistance, invitations to investment forum pitch competitions and participation in investor roadshows.
PFAN’s goal is to bring projects to investment ready status and then facilitate investor introductions, providing advisory services for both equity and debt financing.
PFAN has worked with hundreds of projects around the world; 112 of these have successfully raised over USD 1.4 billion in investment.
PFAN will select applications not only from businesses in developing countries that deliver greenhouse gas reductions by moving towards lower global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and improving energy efficiency of air-conditioning and refrigeration, but also from businesses working with other cooling solutions such as building design, shading, cool roofs, cold storage, cold chain technologies and super-efficient fans etc.

Global Agriculture and Food Security Program — Strengthen Agriculture in low-income Countries
GAFSP announces its next call for proposals in the Public Sector Window for programs and projects that strengthen agriculture and lessen food insecurity in low-income countries. GAFSP intends to fund 4-6 proposals for a total of at least US$100 million. Applications (English and French) are limited to 24 countries in fragile and conflict-affected situations: Africa, Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, and South Asia. For the first time, GAFSP is providing technical assistance for proposal preparation. Application for proposal preparation assistance have to be submitted by 15 April 2019. The closing date for full applications is 10 September 2019.


The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) Steering Committee is currently accepting proposals for grant funding for new projects under the Public Sector Window. The GAFSP Steering Committee expects to allocate a total of US$100 million to the four to seven highest-ranked proposals. The full announcement is available in English and French. This Special Call for Proposals is limited to countries in fragile and conflict-affected situations that are also IDA-only and not in non-accrual status in an effort to address the underfunding of such countries to date. Proposals must be submitted electronically by 11:59pm, September 10, 2019


The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is implementing a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project entitled “Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emission in Industrial Sector through Pelletization Technology in Lao PDR” in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Science and Technology Lao PDR. The goal of the project is to promote the production and usage of industrial grade solid bio-fuel (pellets) for replacing coal and wood.
The project intends to reduce coal and unsustainably harvested fuelwood consumption and promote waste-to-energy methods. The project also aims to contribute to the sustainable energy practices in Lao, to enhance national energy security, to promote job creation and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions as well as avoid deforestation.
The selected bidder will be responsible for designing an efficient and effective system, produce a prototype, demonstrate at site and monitor the results over at least 1 month.
Deadline extended. Interested parties, that satisfy the above requirements, should submit their proposals by 20 September 2019.


Applicants from government institutions, civil society, communities, indigenous groups and private sector organizations in Uganda are invited to submit proposals to the FAO-EU FLEGT Programme.
In 2003, the European Union adopted the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan , whose ultimate goal is to encourage sustainable management of forests. The FLEGT Action Plan focuses on governance reforms and capacity building to ensure that timber exported to the European Union (EU) comes only from legal sources.
The FAO-EU FLEGT Programme is a five-year demand-driven programme launched in 2015 that supports stakeholders to put elements of the FLEGT Action Plan into practice. Uganda is one of the eligible country entitled to benefit from Programme support. The Programme intervention in the country is governed by a nationally-developed theory of change.
The priority areas for this Call for Proposals are taken from the nationally-developed theory of change (pre-requisites) and were approved in June 2019 by the Uganda Technical Committee, composed of members from the Uganda Ministry of Water and Environment (Forestry Sector Support Department and National Forestry Authority), European Union Delegation and FAO. This call for proposals will address those priorities. Deadline: 13 October 2019

The CFC calls for proposals that advance commodity development in its member countries. Funding is targeted mainly to for-profit organizations and social enterprises for production, value chains, and marketing across a wide group of commodities (agricultural crops, tree crops, timber, bamboo and rattan, minerals, and others). This 15th call for proposals has a deadline on 15 October 2019.

Agribusiness

The Work4Progress challenge seeks projects that generate new employment opportunities for women and young adults in India, Mozambique and Peru. Projects should focus on technologies to promote entrepreneurship among young women (India), agri-technologies to improve crops (Mozambique), agri-technologies to improve irrigation (Peru). Universities, companies, and non-profit organisations are eligible to apply. The deadline to submit a solution application is 02 September 2019.

The Business Partnership Facility awards subsidies to support and develop private sector involvement in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries. The projects submitted under this call must contribute to achieving at least one clearly identified SDG. Funding of up to €200 thousand is available. Partnerships must comprise of actors from the private sector, civil society, academia and/or the public sector, with least one organisation from the for-profit private sector. The application deadline is 09 September 2019.

The program VALUE4HER seeks to increase incomes and employment for women in agribusinesses. This grant scheme is aimed at enabling women’s agribusinesses to try out new ideas and to spur innovations within women-owned agri-businesses. The maximum available grant per agribusiness is €9 thousand. The grant covers up to a maximum of 90% of the total project budget. The applicant has to contribute the remaining 10% either in cash or in-kind. Eligibility extends to African woman-led agribusinesses. Deadline for receipt of applications is 15 September 2019. 

The Invest2Impact Competition seeks to support 100 women-led businesses in East Africa with funding, mentoring and networking opportunities. The competition will award US$20 thousand to a business that is working to address climate change and promote a green economy, among three other categories. The competition is open to women entrepreneurs and small and medium-size women-led businesses from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda. Applications have to be submitted by 20 September 2019.

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) sponsors a competition for young African entrepreneurs (< 35 years) to showcase their business innovations in agribusiness. Although the focus of the competition is agribusiness, business innovations in other themes (e.g., natural resources, meteorology, urbanization, green economy, etc.) will also be considered. Competition will provide seed funding to young entrepreneurs with creative and innovative business ideas. The competition is open to applicants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Submissions are invited in English or French before 30 September 2019.

BBSRC seeks collaborative research projects involving collaborative research with at least one company and one research-base partner through the ‘Stand-alone’ LINK scheme. Case Studies from the LINKS scheme include the themes of agriculture, sustainable energy and climate change. Applicants from industry and academia can request a maximum of £1 million per project. Projects must be based in the UK, however, where a suitable company cannot be found in the UK, an overseas company may be used. Applications must be submitted by 02 October 2019. 

Dining for Women makes grants to non-profit organizations that support women and girls living in extreme poverty in developing countries. Thematic areas include access to clean water and sanitation, food security, and education, among other themes. Applicants may request between US$35 thousand to US$50 thousand. Eligibility extends to US 5.01(c)3 corporations or international organisations with a fiscal sponsor which is a US 5.01(c)3 corporation. Dining for Women has two annual grant cycles. The submission deadlines for 2019 are 24 April and 24 October 2019.

The Rescued Tools Foundation (Stichting Gered Gereedschap) collects and refurbishes discarded tools and small items of equipment in the Netherlands for the benefit of recipients in Sub-Saharan Africa. The priority countries are Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania and Ghana. The Foundation favors projects that offer opportunities for women, marginalized groups, co-operatives, and ecological awareness and environmental protection. Organizations that meet the Foundation’s criteria for assistance can fill out an application form. 

Misereor is the international development agency of the Catholic Church in Germany. Its mission is to fight hunger, disease, poverty, and other forms of human suffering in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Issues and themes include climate change and justice; food security and agriculture; access to land; energy for the poor; and extractive industries. Misereor posts guidelines in multiple languages regarding how to request funding support. Applications can be sent at any time.

Bio-diversity, Environment, Climate change

Collaborate Pacific aims to support effective governance, leadership, regional cooperation, and sustainable development in the Pacific. The fund supports small scale activities in the thematic priority areas: Agriculture, Climate Change, Oceans and Fisheries, Renewable Energy, and many other development priorities. Funding can cover travel (including transport, accommodation, and meals) and event costs (including hosting costs). Pacific Island citizens, NGOs, government agencies, and civil society are encouraged to apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

The Development Related Infrastructure Investment Vehicle (DRIVE) is a program of Dutch support for infrastructural projects in the areas of water; climate; food security; and sexual and reproductive health and rights. The program offers funding support to entrepreneurs worldwide for construction projects in the eligible DRIVE subject areas and countries. Funding ranges from €5 million to €60 million. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a continuous basis.

The European Commission seeks to support sustainable agricultural development and contribute to the improvement of the food security and the resilience to climatic hazards of rural households in Madagascar. Any grant application under this call must fall between the minimum and maximum amounts of €700 thousand and €3.28 million. Eligibility extends to non-profit organizations established in the European Union, or in one of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, or in one of the least developed countries. Deadline for submission of concept notes is 11 September 2019.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) seeks to increase smallholder farmer productivity and income through access to improved seeds and improved PPP in Central Africa. IFAD will provide a three-year grant for the total amount of up to US$3 million. The project is expected to enhance reliable access of smallholder farmers to quality cassava planting material and maize seed of at affordable prices. The deadline for submitting applications is 18 September 2019.

The Hilden Charitable Trust makes grants in the UK and developing countries in defined thematic areas. Projects in developing countries focus on community development, education, and health. (Note: Projects related to food security, community water supply, local energy, etc., may be relevant.) HiIden particularly welcomes projects addressing the needs and potential of girls and women. Hilden will consider funding for charitable organizations based in any developing country, that have been active for at least five years, and that meet its criteria on financial income. Hilden only accepts applications from UK charities for overseas projects. Projects may be for more than one year. Average grants are £5 thousand. Applications can be submitted anytime but the closing date for the next meeting is 19 September 2019.

UNU-WIDER (World Institute for Development Economics Research) invites applications for its PhD research internships program in Helsinki, Finland. Preference is for applicants who live or work in developing countries, and who are in the later stages of their PhD. Program themes in WIDER include the economics of energy, climate change, food security, and others. UNU-WIDER provides a travel grant and a monthly stipend of €1,600 during the period of the fellowship. The application deadlines are 31 March and 30 September each year.

In partnership with Microsoft, the National Geographic Society seeks proposals from around the world that focus on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to better monitor and manage Earth’s natural systems for a more sustainable future. The grants will support the creation and deployment of open source trained models and algorithms in the focus core areas of climate change, agriculture, and water. Proposals may request US$5 thousand to US$100 thousand. The deadline for this RFP is 09 October 2019.

BBSRC accepts applications for strategic training awards of up to 12 months in duration to support research capability addressing current global challenges. The purpose of this call is to build a portfolio of sustainable training resources in research priority areas, focusing on sustainable development in developing countries. Focus areas include sustainable energy; clean air, water and sanitation; resilience to long-term environmental change; sustainable marine resources and agriculture, among others. A total of up to £500 thousand is available to support the training activities. GCRF-STARS applications should be co-created and delivered through training partnerships between the UK partner and organisations from developing countries. Applications must be submitted by 16 October 2019. 

The First Solar Corporate Charitable Fund seeks to improve the quality of life in communities around the world. Priority areas are “green” education; access to clean energy and water in underserved areas; and the development of innovative and sustainable technologies. In support of these objectives, the Fund donates solar modules and systems. Applications may also include a request for a grant (US$10 thousand to US$15 thousand) to help with project support. The next deadlines for proposals are 01 May, 01 August and 01 November. 

UN Women offers free online courses across many subject areas through the global online platform for training for gender equality. Courses include the  ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Gender Equality’ which is directed to government representatives and public servants, officials from the UN System and other international organizations, Civil Society Organizations representatives, academics and general public. Many of the courses are free to take part. Deadline for the Sustainable Development and Gender Equality course is 31 December 2019.

Fellowships/scholarships/grants

Living Lakes is a global network of partnership organizations to protect lakes, wetlands, and other freshwater sources and their catchment areas. The network takes an ecosystems approach to include biodiversity conservation and support for local livelihoods, e.g., in agriculture, fisheries, tourism, etc. Living Lakes does not make project grants, but it offers network assistance to members. Members are able to include their projects and proposals in the Living Lakes portfolio for the attention of potential donors and sponsors. Members may also apply for assistance to participate in the meetings, workshops, and conferences of Living Lakes — and to seek other forms of networking and training support. Applications can be submitted at any time.

RUFORUM’s program for Graduate Training Assistantships (GTA) grants support for 325 PhD training opportunities during the next four years. The GTA aims to improve the quality of higher education and increase the pool of PhD academic staff in RUFORUM’s member universities by facilitating cross-university PhD studies and teaching. Applicants need to be nominated for PhD training by his/her university. RUFORUM Secretariat assists in facilitating placement of the nominated staff to universities with the appropriate fields of the required training. The GTA accepts rolling applications (no deadline).

The International Foundation makes grants in subject areas that include agriculture, water and sanitation, environment, and several others. Grants are to nonprofit tax-exempt charitable organizations in the USA. Most grant recipients are small and medium NGOs in the USA engaged in international development assistance. Grants are up to US$25 thousand for projects of one year. There are no calendar deadlines for applications.

The Foundation Fiat Panis supports master and doctoral theses during their fieldwork. The main objective of this grant is to promote research projects which are likely to contribute to an improvement in the nutritional situation of people in developing countries. Applications for research support can be submitted by professors, directors, and doctoral supervisors. This program is ongoing and informal. There is no formal calendar deadline.

The Nippon Foundation makes its overseas grants to nonprofit organizations based outside of Japan. This refers to local, regional, and international NGOs and other nonprofit organizations, including educational and research institutions. Past projects and education/training include examples in small-scale agriculture and natural resources. There is no minimum or maximum grant size. There is no application deadline.

Esri is an international supplier of Geographic Information System (GIS) software, web GIS, and geodatabase management applications. Esri offers free or discounted GIS software, hardware, data, training, and services to support groups and individuals working for social and environmental benefit. Esri’s Conservation Grant Program makes GIS grants to non-profit organizations, programs, and individuals active in public service and nature conservation in any country. There are no grant cycles or deadlines.


Are you a scientist or engineer? Do you want to learn first-hand about policymaking? To contribute your knowledge and analytical skills for better government services? Then apply now for AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships!
Science & Technology Policy Fellows serve yearlong assignments in the federal government and represent a broad range of backgrounds, disciplines, and career stages.
Specific to international development, there are multiple Science & Technology Policy Fellows serving in USAID to support digital development programs. USAID Fellows can also stay on as Fellows for an additional two more years.


With a proposed budget of 100 billion euro from 2021 to 2027, the Horizon Europe framework programme represents the largest collaborative multinational research and innovation investment in Europe and is open to participants worldwide.
The European Parliament and the Council, the co-legislators have provisionally agreed on the Horizon Europe legislative package. Based on the agreement, a Strategic Plan will put forward the targeted impacts for the investment in research and innovation and the priorities for the first four years of implementation of Horizon Europe.
We invite you to contribute to co-designing and help shaping the future research and innovation investment by responding to this questionnaire. It takes approximately 20 minutes to respond. The results will inform the work on the first Strategic Plan of Horizon Europe. You can further engage by participating in the European Research and Innovation Days on 24-25-26 September 2019 in Brussels.

It is recommended that prior to responding to the questions, you read the attached document: Orientations towards the first Strategic Plan implementing the research and innovation framework programme Horizon Europe. 

The DAAD offers scholarships to qualified individuals from eligible developing countries for post-graduate studies at German universities in development-related subjects. The program (EPOS) is open to individuals who completed their previous academic degrees no longer than six years previously; who have at least two years of professional experience; and who are nationals of countries receiving official development assistance (DAC list of the OECD). The available courses range across water resources; renewable energy; land management and tenure; agricultural sciences; forest sciences; ecology; nature conservation; environmental governance; and many others. Most scholarship deadlines for the 2020-2021 intake fall between August 2019 through December 2019, varying by courses (check carefully).

The flagship Master in Food Systems programme is EIT Food's unique offering to develop top talent for the food sector. The programme is based on a combination of essential skills to become effective innovators and entrepreneurs in the food sector along with key technical skills that are tailored to the individual career pathway for each student. The approach of the programme is unique in how students can select study pathways from a wide range of profiles at different European Universities to suit their career ambitions. The programme will start in September 2019.

The Netherlands Organization for Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC) calls for joint proposals for Orange Knowledge institutional collaboration projects. The program aims to strengthen professionals and organisations from developing countries through education and training. The maximum available funding for this call falls between the amounts of €1.1 million and €2.2 million. Programs include subjects in food security and water resource management. Application deadlines vary by country (please check carefully), with remaining deadlines in July and September 2019.


The Nordic Climate Facility (NCF) is a challenge fund set up in 2009 to finance early stage climate change projects in developing countries. NCF aims to build a portfolio of innovative business concepts which have been tested, proved viable and are ready to be scaled-up and replicated.
NCF is financed and managed by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF). The first four calls for proposals of NCF were administered by NEFCO. We are currently accepting applications. Apply before 5 September 2019.

The Australian Aid: Friendship Grants program supports organisations from across Australia and provides funding for aid activities in the Indo-Pacific. Eligible Australian community organisations are encouraged to apply for funding of AU$30 thousand to AU$60 thousand in three annual grant rounds. The program funds development activities that strengthen an overseas community’s capacity or socio-economic situation and improve the lives of poor and vulnerable people. Past winners include projects in rural agriculture and forestry, as well as various humanitarian issues. The deadline for project submission is 10 September 2019.

In Europe’s research program Horizon 2020, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships provide opportunities to acquire and transfer new knowledge and to work on research in a European context or outside Europe. The scheme particularly supports the return and re-integration of researchers from outside Europe who have previously worked there. It also develops or helps to re-start the careers of individual researchers that show great potential, considering their experience. Applicants in the EU; their overseas territories; countries associated to Horizon 2020; and most developing countries are eligible for consideration. The closing date for applications is 11 September 2019.

The University of Essex invites applications from African students who self fund their postgraduate studies. The university offers a scholarship of £4 thousand to African students that will be paid as a discount on the tuition fee. Available courses include biological sciences, marine biology, and biochemistry, among many others. Applicants that meet all the eligibility criteria and firmly accept the offer of their place by 13 September 2019 will automatically be awarded this scholarship (please read the instructions carefully). 

The Fulbright Scholar Program invites applications from U.S. scholars for research, teaching, and creative arts in an international context. Eligibility criteria include U.S. citizenship and a PhD or equivalent professional degree. The available openings include several in the developing world in subjects related to agriculture, environmental and biological sciences, geography, and others. The deadline for applications is 16 September 2019.

BBSRC and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) announce a joint call to address challenges related to the sustainable enhancement of agriculture (including crops and livestock) and aquaculture (including finfish and shellfish) in low- and middle-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Asia and South-Eastern Asia regions. BBSRC and NERC have allocated a maximum of up to £3.4 million, to fund multidisciplinary research projects of up to 24 months in duration. Proposals must be led by a principal investigator in the UK. The application deadline is 18 September 2019.

The Hilden Charitable Trust makes grants in the UK and developing countries in defined thematic areas. Projects in developing countries focus on community development, education, and health. (Note: Projects related to food security, community water supply, local energy, etc., may be relevant.) HiIden particularly welcomes projects addressing the needs and potential of girls and women. Hilden will consider funding for charitable organizations based in any developing country, that have been active for at least five years, and that meet its criteria on financial income. Hilden only accepts applications from UK charities for overseas projects. Projects may be for more than one year. Average grants are £5 thousand. Applications can be submitted anytime but the closing date for the next meeting is 19 September 2019.

CLIFF-GRADS is a joint initiative of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change (CCAFS) low emissions agriculture flagship and the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA). The program aims to build the capability of early career agricultural students in developing countries to conduct applied research on climate change mitigation in agriculture. CLIFF invites applications from PhD students from developing countries for short-term (4-6 month) scientific training and research stays at CGIAR research centers or affiliated research institutions. The focus of the research is greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration associated with climate change mitigation in agriculture in developing countries. Grants are between US$10 and US$12 thousand. The deadline for applications is 30 September 2019.

IDEX invites applications worldwide for its Fellowship Program 2020. The Fellowships build the capacity of young professionals for social enterprise in areas such as agriculture, education, clean energy, sanitation, healthcare, livelihoods, and impact investing. The program provides six months of leadership training in enterprise development, including field placements at social enterprises in India. Candidates should be 21 to 35 years old, with a minimum of one to three years of professional work experience. IDEX offers a limited number of full and partial scholarships to select candidates. The application deadline is 30 September 2019.

Online Turf offers £500 for full time education of an agricultural or horticultural subject field. Eligibility extends to students enrolled full time in an agricultural or horticultural course in university or college. The scholarship is not restricted to any nationality, but applicants must study and reside in the U.K. The submission deadline is 30 September 2019.

The Global Foodtech Accelerator 2019 is open for applications. The Program seeks 10 startups with innovative solutions and international partners to improve agrifood and retail sectors. Selected projects will receive an economic contribution of €20 thousand, office space, mentorship and networking opportunities. Eligibility extends to Italian and foreign companies and individuals. The application deadline is 30 September 2019.

The Women for Africa Foundation has launched the 5th Edition of its “Science by Women” program. The program aims to promote African women’s leadership in scientific research and technology transfer, and to foster the capacity of the research centres in their home countries. Thematic areas include agriculture and food security; water; energy and climate change; and several others. Each of ten Spanish Centres of Excellence will host one senior woman researcher for a six-month fellowship. Eligibility to apply extends to women who are nationals of any African country, and who have a PhD, with at least three years of post-doctoral experience. The application deadline is 30 September 2019.

The New Voices Fellowship is a year-long program that provides intensive media and advocacy training for top development professionals in the developing world. The Aspen Institute aims to select 25 Fellows who will write opinion articles, participate in interviews with local and international media, and speak at international conferences. Subject areas of interest include food security, climate change, and other themes. Applications are welcome from all developing countries. The program provides funds to participate in media-related activities and conferences. We could not find an official deadline for applications. Application deadlines for past calls have been scheduled around mid-October.

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the SDG Partnership facility (SDGP), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aim to help achieve the following sustainable development goals in developing countries. Focus areas under this call include promoting economic growth in the agricultural and fisheries sector through sustainable and climate-resilient food production systems, among others. Applicants can apply for a subsidy of min. €500 thousand and max. €3 million per project. The main applicant has to be a Dutch organization but local partnerships with NGOs, companies, or government agencies are required to be eligible. The deadline for concept notes is 01 October 2019.

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program supports non-degree academic study and related professional experiences in the U.S. for experienced professionals from countries that are undergoing development or political transition. Fellows are hosted at universities in the USA. Program fields include agriculture and rural development; natural resources, environmental policy, and climate change; and many others. Applications are made through the U.S. Embassies or Binational Fulbright Commissions in eligible countries, with varying deadlines. The embassies and commissions submit their nominations before 01 October to the Institute of International Education office in Washington, DC.

Grinnell College invites nominations for the 2020 Grinnell Prize. The Grinnell Prize of US$100 thousand will be awarded to individuals who show creativity, commitment, and extraordinary accomplishment in effecting positive social change. Past nominations have spanned a diversity of social issues related to agriculture and hunger relief, conservation and environment, and many other thematic areas. Nominees may be nationals of any country who have earned a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) between 2003 and 2019. The closing date for nominations is 07 October 2019.

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation financially supports the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowship position in the African Development Bank. The Fellowship allows talented individuals to increase and enhance their professional capacity, with the intention of contributing to the governance and development of their countries. The priority for the 2020 selection of the Mo Ibrahim Fellow includes energy (“lighting up and powering Africa”); agriculture (“feeding Africa”); and others. The Fellowship is for young professionals, mid-career, and/or new executives who are nationals of an African country, residing anywhere in the world. The application deadline is 14 October 2019.

GlobalGiving is an online platform to raise funds for grassroots projects worldwide across many sectors and themes – including in agriculture, energy, environment, and natural resources. GlobalGiving announces a new Accelerator program that will offer virtual training in online fundraising and participation in a two-week crowdfunding campaign. The program is open to nonprofit organizations anywhere in the world. Organizations that successfully complete the GlobalGiving Accelerator by raising at least US$5 thousand total from a minimum 40 different donors will earn permanent membership with GlobalGiving, in addition to publicity and bonus prizes. The next application deadline is 18 October 2019.

The Earth Institute at Columbia University invites applications for 2-year postdoctoral fellowships that contribute to understanding critical scientific and social issues in global sustainable development. Specific areas of research include food security, energy systems, climate change, poverty reduction, disease, and environmental degradation. The multi-disciplinary program is open to U.S. and non-U.S. citizens who received their doctoral degrees within five years of beginning their appointments. The deadline for applications is 30 October 2019.

The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships aim to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. Thematic areas for post-graduate scientific research include Agriculture, Biodiversity and Sustainability, and Poverty Reduction, among others. Eligibility extends to young researchers from all around the world who have completed a master’s degree or PhD. Application deadlines vary by country (please check carefully). Prepare your application by 01 November 2019.

The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) invites individuals dedicated to a career in international development to submit an application. Fellows receive training and support CRS’ work in various sectors such as agriculture/livelihoods, health, water and sanitation, emergency response, or micro-financing. CRS offers 20-30 fellowships each year. Each fellow is placed in one of CRS’ overseas country programs for a 12-month fellowship. The application will be open through 01 November 2019.

ETH Zurich makes competitive grants in two programs sponsored by its World Food System Center. They are: (i) Sustainability in Food Value Chains (Cooperative Research Program); and (ii) Organic Production Systems for Food Security (Mercator Research Program). Principal Investigators must be current members of the World Food System Center. Co-applicants can be from other research institutions in Switzerland or other countries. The deadline for proposals is 01 November 2019.

The Chevening Scholarships provide full or partial funding for full-time courses at postgraduate level, normally a one-year master’s degree, in any subject at any UK university. Chevening Scholars come from 150 countries, excluding the USA and the EU. Applicants complete the application forms for their chosen universities. The available courses include subjects such as agriculture, conservation, climate change, and others. The current application closes 05 November 2019. 

The Scottish Government’s International Development Small Grants Programme provides project funding in support of the government’s International Development Policy. Applications for grants are invited from incorporated not-for-profit organisations which have a presence in Scotland and an annual turnover of less than £250 thousand. Project grants should focus on any of Malawi, Rwanda, or Zambia in themes of food security; renewable energy; climate change; water; and others. Grants for capacity building and feasibility studies will be accepted in relation to any country designated as medium/low on the UN’s Human Development Index — but with priority for Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia. Awards are a maximum of £15 thousand for one-year feasibility studies and capacity building initiatives. The application deadline is 08 November 2019.

UK Aid Match supports collaborations between charities, the British public and the UK government. UK Aid Match welcomes applications for funding from charities and non-profit organisations in support of projects aimed at the poorest people in developing countries. For every £1 donated to a UK Aid Match charity appeal, the UK government will provide equal match funding, up to £2 million. Only UK based charities are eligible to apply but projects have to be implemented in low-income development countries. The deadline for submissions is 12 November 2019.

The RGS-IBG makes grants for geographical research, fieldwork, and teaching that include several awards with deadlines in November. The application deadline is 10 November for the Journey of a Lifetime Award. The deadline is 23 November for the Ralph Brown Expedition Award; Thesiger-Oman International Research Fellowships; Walters Kundert Fellowship; Dudley Stamp Memorial Award; Rob Potter Award; Postgraduate Research Awards; and Geographical Club Award. The deadline is 30 November for the Neville Shulman Challenge Award.

DAAD co-fund research grants for qualified applicants from Brazil. The aim of the programme is to s to promote research projects within the context of doctoral studies. The programme accepts doctoral candidates at universities in Brazil, who have been awarded a domestic scholarship from CAPES (Co-funder). Subject areas include natural sciences and agriculture. The domestic doctoral scholarships will be paid by CAPES during the research stay in Germany, and DAAD will co-fund a monthly payment of €650, health, accident and personal liability insurance cover, and travel allowance. The application deadline is 02 December 2019.

Mobility grants allow researchers and students to build personal contacts and relationships for collaborations between institutions. Mobility grants can be awarded to young scientists who hold a Bachelor or Master’s degree and with not more than 6 years of professional research experience. Activities may include field work and/or an internship in relation to the applicant’s research project. The call is open for activities in all scientific disciplines and fields of research. Priority countries under this call are: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. Mobility visit should have a minimum duration of 4 weeks and not exceed CHF 5 thousand. Applications will be accepted until 31 December 2019. 

Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR) makes seed grants to support income-generating projects led by women. RSWR’s current priorities are grassroots organizations selected states and districts of India; Quaker groups in Kenya and Sierra Leone. Projects include many in the production and sale of fruits and vegetables; meat and milk; grain crops; fish; fuelwood; and other enterprises associated with small-scale agriculture and rural livelihoods. RSWR provides micro-credits of up to US$5,500 for one year projects. The next application deadline is 31 December 2019. 

The Nestlé Foundation supports research in human nutrition in low-income and lower middle-income countries. In relation to agriculture, the Foundation will consider research on food policy, food production, and food technology if the intervention has high potential for improved nutritional status and public health. The Foundation offers training grants, pilot grants, and full project grants. Priority is for proposals submitted by researchers in developing countries, or jointly with partners in developed countries. A Letter of Intent (LOI) can be submitted at any time of the year. The deadlines for full grant applications are 10 January and 10 May 2020.


Humboldt Foundation is seeking applications from Young Climate Experts for its International Climate Protection Fellowship.
With the International Climate Protection Fellowships, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enables prospective leaders in academia and industry to implement a research based proposal in the field of climate protection or climate-related resource conservation during a one-year stay in Germany.
Up to 20 International Climate Protection Fellowships are granted annually, funded under the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety’s (BMU) International Climate Initiative. The fellowships target prospective leaders from non European transition and developing countries. Deadline: 1 March 2020


The MAN Impact Accelerator seeks social entrepreneurs from Europe, South Africa, and Brazil to tackle social and environmental challenges through innovative solutions in the transport and logistics industry. Social businesses and startups in the key areas agriculture, data analytics (including environmental data), sensors, among others, are invited to apply. The program provides indirect grants and support of up to US$50 thousand (no equity or cash) for each startup. This also includes free access to coaches and mentors as well as to software and data perks. The application deadline is 01 October 2020.

AWARDS and O T H E R

Obada-Prize is an international award, endowed by the Natural Sciences Publishing. Initiated as a recognition of his excellence Professor Abdel-Shafy Obada. The Obada-Prize recognizes and encourages innovative and interdisciplinary research that cuts across traditional boundaries and paradigms.

Four years ago, the Paris agreement was adopted with an important preamble that makes specific references to i.a. human rights and gender equality. Yet today, even after the adoption of a gender action plan at COP23, many decision makers still do not understand how adopting a rights based and gender-responsive approach can lead to more ambitious and effective climate policies. That is why we want to showcase the Gender Just Climate Solutions at the upcoming climate negotiations. WECF and the Women and Gender Constituency are launching today, July 5th 2019, the fifth edition of the Gender Just Climate Solutions Awards, that will honour at COP25 the fundamental contribution of women in the fight against climate change. These awards are made to inspire political decision makers and funders to develop a more inclusive, fair and effective climate strategies. 
APPLY now, and you will have a chance to present your initiative during COP25 in Santiago de Chile.
Women’s unequal participation in decision-making processes, their reduced access to financial resources and labour markets, prevent them from actively contributing to climate-related planning, policy-making and implementation. The Gender Action Plan that was adopted by the countries at COP23 aims at addressing those gaps, and the recent climate negotiations conducted in Bonn last June, provided an opportunity to prepare for a renewed and more ambitious Gender Action Plan for COP25. The Women and Gender Constituency wants more commitments for climate finance and technology transfer that actively address persisting gender inequalities, for example in the energy and transport sectors. We want strengthened capacity building at all levels, and stronger support to ensure the meaningful participation of local women in climate policy processes. 
The deadline for entries is Monday, September 09th 2019, 5pmEST. 

Hello Tomorrow — Global Startup Challenge (6th edition)
The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge seeks startup from all around the world that use advanced technology to answer a societal or industrial challenge. The challenge includes one category for startups that focus on energy, food, agriculture & environment, among 10 others. The grand prize is €100 thousand for the best early-stage startup. The best early-stage startup in each category will win €10 thousand. The application process closes on 13 September 2019.

The Swiss Re Foundation accepts applications for the 2020 Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award. The Award recognizes entrepreneurial initiatives that take innovative approaches to building resilient societies and realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The 2020 award will focus on innovative solutions for climate-smart agriculture, including crop and livestock production as well as aquaculture. The total prize money of US$700 thousand is divided among three winners. Applicants for the award should ideally operate in low-income communities. Applications have to be submitted by 16 September 2019.

The Canadian International Development Research Center (IDRC) makes research awards to citizens and permanent residents of Canada, and citizens of developing countries. The award provides for a one-year paid program of research in addition to hands-on experience in research management, grant administration, and the use of knowledge from an international perspective. Program areas include food systems; climate change; and several others. Applicants should be enrolled, or have previously completed, their masters or doctoral degrees at recognized universities. IDRC identifies countries not eligible for awards, as well as countries requiring prior approval. The deadline for applications (English, French) is 18 September 2019. 

Natural health food producer Rapunzel Naturkost and IFOAM – Organics International, the international umbrella organization for organic agriculture, invite nominations for the ‘ONE WORLD AWARD 2020’ (OWA). The award recognizes innovative ideas, projects and people in three areas of sustainability, including conservation of nature and biodiversity, organic farming, contributions to stop climate change (energy conservation or use of renewable energy), and waste management. The winner will receive €45 thousand in prize money. Nominations can be submitted either by individuals or by organizations. Nominations will be accepted until 30 September 2019. 

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), a consortium of 114 Universities in 38 African Countries, is pleased to announce the 2019 RUFORUM Young African Entrepreneurs Competition (RUYAEC). The overall purpose of the RUFORUM Young African Entrepreneurs Competition (RUYAEC) is to catalyse entrepreneurship through promotion of business innovation and provision of seed funding to young entrepreneurs with creative and innovative business ideas among African youth. RUYAEC, through an online application, invites young African entrepreneurs and incubates below 35 years of age to compete for 20 awards that show case their innovations, enterprises, business concepts and propositions. The areas of focus are Food and agribusiness, Incubations, ICTs, Health, Engineering, Natural resources, and Meteorology
This third round of the RUFORUM Young Innovators Competition is targeted for West African (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo) countries. The winners will be awarded during the RUFORUM Annual General meeting convening scheduled to take place from 2-6 December, 2019 at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana.
The deadline to submit for the 2019 RUFORUM Young African Entrepreneurs Competition is Monday 30th September 2019 at 17:00 Hours (GMT+3).

The Carmignac Photojournalism Award aims to support a journalistic and photographic project which shows the human, social and ecological challenges the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) faces today. The contest is open to photojournalism projects that explore humanitarian issues, human-wildlife conflicts, the exploitation of natural resources (including mining, freshwater, deforestation), and other conflicts relevant to the DR Congo. The winner will receive a €50 thousand grant to carry out a 6-month field report. Submissions will be received until 16 October 2019.

The Society of Chemical Industry awards travel bursaries to young PhD students. There are various schemes available, some related to agriculture and life sciences.  Applicants will have preference if they wish to travel outside their country of residence, especially if they wish to work in a laboratory abroad. Next deadline cycle for the AJ Banks Award (Food science), and the Messel Award (Chemical science including all life sciences) is 31 October 2019.

The Mahathir Science Award recognizes scientists, institutions or organisations worldwide who have made contributions and innovations towards solving problems in the tropics through science and technology. This award accepts nominations in the following fields: Tropical Agriculture; Tropical Architecture and Engineering; Tropical Medicine; and Tropical Natural Resources. The winner receives US$100 thousand, a gold medal and a certificate. The nomination for the award closes on 31 October 2019.

The African Union (AU) honors outstanding African scientists through the Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards. The awards program is implemented at national level for young researchers; regional level for women scientists; and continental level open to all scientists. The current announcement calls for submissions at the African continental level to recognize outstanding science, for which it awards a prize of US$100 thousand. In addition, the AU makes regional awards of US$20 thousand to female scientists. The closing date for submissions is 10 November 2019.

The iF Social Impact Prize aims to publish and support design projects that contribute to solving urgent challenges and help to improve living conditions in the developing world. Solutions should already be established and help to solve well known issues in any category of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The best projects will share a cash prize of €50 thousand in total. Eligibility extends to non-profit organizations, companies and foundations. There is no deadline and projects can be submitted on a continuous basis. The winners will be decided after 05 June and 20 November each year.

Nominations are open for the 2019 Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) International Prize. The Subject of the 2019 Prince Talal International Prize is “Ensure access to water and sanitation for all”. Projects should highlight best practices which aim to improve the living conditions of the poor and disadvantaged with particular emphasis on women and children. (Note: This may include one or more categories of the Terra Viva Grants Directory.) The winners receive between US$400 thousand and US$100 thousand (depending on their category). Eligibility extends to UN Development Agencies, NGOs, government ministries, public institutions, social business enterprises and individuals. There are no geographical restrictions. Nominations are accepted until 30 November 2019.