Canada Fund for African Climate Resilience call

The Canada Fund for African Climate Resilience
will co-finance Canadian organizations or coalitions to address climate change effects and adaptation needs that restrict or have negative impacts on food security and/or economic growth in Africa.

The focus countries are Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania. Projects in certain other Sub-Saharan countries are also eligible (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Dem Rep Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zambia). CIDA will provide 85% of project funding; eligible applicants in Canada's private sector and/or civil society (or their coalitions) contribute the remaining 15%. The deadline for applications is 19 April 2012.

• Objective of the Canada Fund for African Climate Resilience
• Review process
• Eligibility
• Application process
• Key documents
• Deadline
• Proposal assessment

Intra-ACP mobility scheme - Call for Proposals

The second Call for Proposals under the Intra-ACP academic mobility scheme was launched on 10/02/2012, with a deadline of 10 May 2012.

The Intra-ACP academic mobility scheme promotes cooperation between higher education institutions (HEIs) and supports mobility in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) regions. The Programme aims to increase access to quality education that will encourage and enable ACP students to undertake postgraduate studies, and to promote student retention in the region along with mobility of staff (academic and administrative). In doing so, the Intra-ACP Programme is expected to increase the competitiveness and attractiveness of the institutions themselves.

COLEACP at Fruit Logistica 2012

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 Ghana

8 to 10 February. Berlin. This trade fair was characterized by the presence of the industry's key decision-makers as well as by excellent reviews from exhibitors and trade visitors who praised the commercial results achieved at the exhibition. The event also registered a record number of exhibiting companies, 2537 in all. More than 56,000 trade visitors from 139 countries were in Berlin to view the full spectrum of products and services across the entire fresh produce value chain. Around 80% of the visitors at this year's exhibition came from outside Germany.

COLEACP, PIP and EDES teams facilitated contacts between ACP exporter and EU importer Members at the Fruit Logistica 2012. You will find more information on the COLEACP entry on the « Fruit Logistica Virtual Market Place »

Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters. Ghana is focusing on the extremely tasty pineapples that it grows and harvests all year round. "Many Europeans are not aware of this. We are at FRUIT LOGISTICA to make this fact known", says Antony Sikpa, President of the Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters. Ghana is represented with four exporters, whose produce, in addition to pineapples, includes papayas and mangos.

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 Mairitius
(with a breadfruit)

Mozfoods S.A., Mozambique: "This was our first appearance at FRUIT LOGISTICA and it was very valuable for our business. We had a chance to meet with our customers and build new contacts with prospective buyers in Europe. The current demand clearly exceeds our production capacities". Carlos Henriques, Chief Executive Officer.
Enterprise Mauritius: "We are very satisfied with our first appearance at FRUIT LOGISTICA.  The trade fair is an excellent platform for maintaining existing contacts and finding new customers. We had visitors from Brazil, China, Britain, France and the Middle East at our stand. In the coming months, we will see what specific orders will arise from this". Yogesh O. Amoroo, Business Development Officer

Related: Extract from Agricultural Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa: experiences from multiple-stakeholder approaches

Ghana’s pineapple industry. This case study concerns the rehabilitation of the pineapple industry after loss of valuable export markets to Europe as new country producers provided sweeter varieties favoured by consumers. Pineapples now account for more than 50 percent of Ghana’s total horticultural exports and the crop is a source of income and employment for 15,000 people. Increased production has led to significant poverty reduction in pineapple-growing areas with farmers reporting a 10 percent increase in income (World Bank, 2006), largely due to increased production and higher prices for the commodity.

Lessons learned for scaling up. The strong commitment of all stakeholders – donors, national partners, NGOs, Government, exporters, importers, individual farmers and research institutes – has played an important role in the success achieved in the pineapple industry. Linkage with export markets has clearly been a driving factor. However the emergence of large-scale farmers and processors has made them the major beneficiaries at the expense of smallholder farmers.Meeting this challenge will require additional support to raise their production levels.

AfDB-IFPRI stakeholder consultation on agricultural biotechnology in Africa

15-16 February 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya. in June 2011, the AfDB Group commissioned IFPRI to conduct a comprehensive and evidence-based study on agriculture biotechnology in Africa to assist African countries to address their agriculture and food security problems.

This consultation meeting discussed the findings and recommendations of the study for broad stakeholder validation, prioritize key areas which need to be addressed, and identify and agree on roles, responsibilities and resources needed to implement priority actions.

Some of the main recommendations from the study included the need to enhance support for the following: data collection, capacity building; renewed cooperation on biotechnology with sub-Saharan African countries, and outreach and communication to the public at large. In this regard, the report is an important step in the right direction.

Approximately 80 representatives of development organizations, senior African policy makers, private sector officials, scientists, researchers, and farmers organizations participated in the meeting.

Related: In November 2011, FARA hosted the 1st Pan-African Conference on Stewardship of Agricultural Biotechnology

Related: A lively [still ongoing] debate on fara-net in February resulted in an exchange of a number of reports on the GMO theme:

1. Vitale, J.D., Vognan, G. Ouattarra,M.  and Traore, O. (2010). “The CommercialApplication of GMO Crops in Africa: Burkina Faso’s Decade of Experience with BtCotton,” Agrobioforum, 13(4): 320-332.
2. The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa (2011) Complete Text of The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa (765K PDF)
3. Freedom to Innovate: Biotechnology in Africa's Development. Report of the High-Level African Panel on Modern Biotechnology. (2007) Full text of this publication is available
4. A decade of EU-funded GMO research (2001-2011) (2011)
5. How to engage with farmers over GM crops, Obidimma Ezezika and Justin Mabeya, SciDev, 22/02/2012
6. CTA Policy Brief on Harnessing Biotechnology (also available in French)
7. Ghana Business News 28/02 Biotechnology crucial to global food security – Prof. Alhassan

A video on biotechnology was produced by young professionals in the Caribbean for our 2010/2011 science and video competition. It raises some interesting issues and can be used to fuel interest and mobilize young people on this important issue.

The Farmer Organization Support Centre in Africa (FOSCA)

FOSCA was established by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in 2010, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation (BMGF) in order to develop the managerial, organizational and technical capacity of farmer organizations (FOs) by linking them with service providers (SPs) that focus on demand driven and income-enhancing services. FOSCA is expected to contribute to the overall AGRA vision of increasing smallholder incomes and livelihoods through effective FOs capable of delivering on the needs of their members by:

1. identifying and engaging a robust network of FOs in target countries and identifying income-enhancing needs of their members
2. Increasing and improving the supply of relevant services available to FOs to respond to their needs
3. Linking FOs with service providers and private sector players in value-chains to enhance their capacity for effective service delivery (market-driven income gains) for their members
4. Evaluate outcomes, document lessons, and build the knowledge base on FOs that would promote learning and best practice in Sub Sahara Africa (SSA).

Mercy Karanja works with extension and farmer organizations at
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and guides the strategy and
grants for the foundation’s work with small holder farmers.

Expected Outcomes
During this initial four-year program, FOSCA plans to:

1. Reach 220,000 smallholder farmers with income and production improvements services
2. Improve the capacities of at least 70 FOs based on a set of criteria around gender, market-orientation, smallholder membership, and income generation.
3. Expand the smallholder membership of 50% of the target FOs by 25-50% during the project term.

Target Countries in First Phase
In order to maximize opportunities for collaboration and synergies, FOs prioritized by FOSCA are partners or potential partners in existing AGRA and Bill Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) grants. The initial pilot activities will be those working with World Food Program’s (WFP) Purchase for Progress (P4P), AGRA’s Markets Access and Soil Health Programs.

Geographic Coverage:
FOSCA will focus on the 4 Priority One countries of AGRA in this initial Phase:

• Ghana, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania

FOSCA will gradually expand its activities to other AGRA target countries as opportunities to collaborate emerge:

• Burkina Faso, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda and Zambia (Partnership with Swedish Cooperation),
• Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria (Partnership with BMGF)

Addressing Climate Change Challenges in Africa: A Practical Guide towards Sustainable Development

This manual (272 pages) aims to translate available climate science and current international climate policies into the tools for practical action in Africa, in the context of sustainable development. In this regard the guidebook focuses on the potential climate change impacts on key sectors in Africa and appropriate adaptation and mitigation options. It outlines the governance, technological, financial and capacity building opportunities available to the continent to work effectively towards sustainable development.

The manual is self-contained and stands alone, but provides guidance to intended users to other relevant materials in the form of links and annexes. The primary audiences for the guidebook are policymakers, decision makers, practitioners from public and private sector, civil society organizations, environment and climate change negotiators and experts.

Organization: 

UNEP

Partner(s): 

African Ministerial Conference on the Environment, African Union Commission

ENG

Partner Inception Workshop Enhancing Soybean and Cowpea Value Chains

Facilitator Patrick Egessa (left) and
EC evaluator of PAEPARD Hubert Cathala (right)

13th – 17th February 2012Kampala. Partner Inception meeting. Enhancing Soybean and Cowpea Value Chains for Increased Productivity, Incomes and Nutritional Security of Smallholder Farmers in Eastern and Central Africa.

Soybean and Cowpea Value Chains for Increased Productivity, Incomes and Nutritional Security of Smallholder Farmers in Eastern and Central Africa consortium is holding its inception meeting in Kampala- Uganda with support from PAEPARD and RUFORUM. The objectives of this meeting are;

1. To bring together all partners of the consortium.
2. Explore and design a framework of engagement in response to targeted calls.
3. Gain an insight into all partners areas of expertise, skills and commitment.
4. Explore linkages and collaborations

Criteria for assessing the competitiveness of the Crops

The meeting agreed to develop a criteria that would be used to assess the competitiveness of the legumes.

• Potential to increase employment
• Number of SMEs within the sector
• Potential for Value addition
• Potential to increase income
• Number of women and Youth – are their studies?
• Government involvement in the sector
• Research opportunities along the chain.

Day 2 discussions focused on the requirements for the AU call, which this consortium is targeting. Looked at broadly, the discussion was guided using the following  questions

      What were the call requirements?

      What should be our priority sector

      What was expected on  partnerships

      What was the evaluation criteria?

      What was the  selection criteria?

      What was the award criteria?

Issues raised in response to discussion on call

      How  we demonstrate capacity/ expertise.

      How we demonstrate that we were involved in the process.

      Technical expertise in the required sectors

      Sustainability of the results

      And  the Management structure

Pyrethrum: a white flower with significant business potential for Rwanda

Pyrethrum: a white flower with significant business potential for Rwanda:
A little white flower is bringing bright prospects for Rwanda’s economy, and the lives of thousands of small farmers in the process.

Rwanda now produces 15% of the world's pyrethrum.

One of just four major countries (Australia, Kenya, and Tanzania being the others) that grow pyrethrum, a flower refined into a highly demanded, natural, flower-based pesticide, Rwanda has been actively working to revive this once near-collapsed industry, and for good reason. With 70% to 80% of the pure active ingredients, Rwanda’s rich volcanic soil has the potential to produce some of the world’s best pyrethrum.

Last year, Rwanda’s pyrethrum flower production increased from 209 to 700 megatons, while export revenues increased by 380% and global market share surged from 6% to 15%. According to Karisimbi Business Partners, a Kigali-based consulting firm that is working with SOPYRWA, Rwanda’s only pyrethrum refinery, this also significantly contributed to the household incomes of over 8,000 farmers and increased land under pyrethrum cultivation.

A decade ago, Kenya dominated the production of pyrethrum, raking in about 70% of the global trade. Yet over the past six years, mishandling, corruption and delayed payments to farmers has caused a massive drop in Kenyan production. Industry experts claim that Kenya can still make nearly $135 million annually, but only if they renew their focus as well.

When Horizon Group took over SOPYRWA in 2008, the refinery was running at only 6% of installed capacity, producing just 4 metric tons of extract. In just two years, the company was producing 15.8 metric tons of extract.

SOPYRWA is now focusing on re-building the 15,000+ network of small farmers and their families who are key to their supply chain. By re-engaging private cooperatives, which deal directly with the local farmers and serve as collection points for dried pyrethrum, and offering farmers higher prices, immediate payment, and stronger high-yield seeds, SOPYRWA hopes to bring Rwanda’s share of the global pyrethrum market up to 20%. At the same time, SOPYRWA is now developing additional value-added products for the local region through a venture with a UK-based industry partner.

With government backing, and an expansion of global partnerships, SOPYRWA appears poised for another big year. Yet Crockett adds that the growth has as much to do with what SOPYRWA and the Government of Rwanda has done, as with the global market demand itself. Demand still outpaces supply by about 4:1, and the trend towards organic (e.g. anti-synthetic pesticides) coupled with Kenya’s collapsed pyrethrum sector puts Rwanda at a distinct advantage.

Given the ideal climate, both in terms of Rwanda’s improving business environment and its actual soil conditions, the potential for Rwanda’s pyrethrum production and refinement is vast.

Partnership Inception Workshop for the consortium on Control of angular leaf spot disease of citrus in Ghana

13-17 February, 2012, FARA, Accra. The workshop was organised with support from PAERPARD to facilitate a partnership among stakeholders in the citrus industry on the project ‘Control of Angular leaf spot of citrus in Ghana’.

The aim of this project is, to undertake a detailed nationwide survey on the incidence, severity and etiology of the disease in all the citrus growing regions. Disease management strategies (evaluation of some fungicides on the Ghanaian market to select some for control of the disease on already established fields and the study of natural incidence and severity of disease on established fields to select moderately resistant varieties to be considered for new plantations and augmented with the selected fungicides) will be developed with the involvement of farmers and training (farmer field school) will be organized for farmers and extension officers in the affected districts. Quarantine officers at the national borders will also be trained on diagnostic procedures for the identification of the disease.

The stakeholders who participated in the workshop included Scientists from the University of Ghana, Staff from Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Private Enterprises and Citrus Growers and Marketers Association, Input Dealers and an Europearn Research partner from the Valencia Institute of Agricultural Research in Spain. The workshop was facilitated by 2 external facilitators selected and trained by PAEPARD.

Objectives of the workshop included:

1. Familiarise participants with the concepts and processes of PAEPARD
2. To get to know each other better
3. To understand each other’s objectives and perspectives with well defined roles and activities to be carried out by each partner
4. To establish ground rules that will promote mutual understanding among partners
5. To improve the earlier concept notes that was submitted to PAEPARD
6. To develop a joint action plan

Land tenure and international investments in agriculture

Recent literature that estimates the magnitude of land grabbing and/or explores what is driving it, how it is affecting small-scale farmers and what can be done, include “Land tenure and international investments in agriculture” (by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, 2011), “Land and power: the growing scandal surrounding the new wave of investments in land” (Bertram Zagema, 2011), “Land grabbing in Africa and the new politics of food” (Future Agricultures policy brief 41, 2011) and “The great land grab: Rush for world’s farmland threatens food security for the poor” (S. Daniel and A. Mittal, 2009). Land grabbing in Africa: a review of the impacts and policy responses (Oxfam, 2011)

Literature that presents alternatives to international land acquisitions include the “Access to land and the right to food” report (O. de Schutter, 2010), “Responding to land grabbing and promoting responsible investment in agriculture” (IFAD, 2011) and “Alternatives to land acquisitions: Agricultural investment and collaborative business models” (edited by L. Cotula and R. Leonard, 2010). Both the “Development” journal (volume 54, issue 1, 2011) and “The Journal of Peasant Studies” (volume 38, issue 2, 2011) have dedicated a special on land grabbing, and the website of the “International Conference on Global Land Grabbing” (held this year by Future Agricultures) contains articles that cover several aspects of the topic. “A historical perspective on the global land rush” (by the International Land Coalition, 2011) relates the current wave of land grabs to the past legacy of colonisation and neo-liberal reforms.

The African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI) amassed a huge amount of invaluable data

In 2006, the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation provided Farm Radio International a grant to support the 42-month African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI), starting in 2007.

After two cycles of carefully planned and delivered, radio program campaigns involving 25 African radio stations in five countries, the AFRRI project amassed a huge amount of invaluable data. It demonstrates clearly that well-designed and produced radio campaigns using participatory methodologies can have a significant impact on the adoption of improved technologies by small-scale farmers on a large scale throughout the broadcast area of each radio station.

The data also demonstrate that such uptake of technologies can be even greater when innovative use of other ICTs, such as mobile phones and the Internet, is combined with the radio broadcasts. We call the methodology we designed and tested a Participatory Radio Campaign (PRC).

What Farm Radio International has learned from the AFRRI project can benefit other development communication initiatives. They have produced three reports that describe in detail what they did, how they did it, and what they learned. They are about Participatory Radio Campaigns, radio-based Market Information Services, and how new ICTs can make radio stronger.

Stakeholder Workshop on Tracking Investments in Agricultural Research for Development

January 20, 2012. Berlin. With clear recognition by the international community that, given the complexities of agricultural research for development (AR4D[2]), each current system of monitoring investments in AR4D only provides part of the overall picture, a technical workshop on tracking investments in AR4D was organized by GFAR in Berlin at GIZ headquarters.

A group of experts from the diverse monitoring systems presently operating, including representatives of the civil society, met to discuss this topic, to identify possible improvements that could be recommended at donor or recipient levels and to integrate and increase coverage and efficiency of the systems and mechanisms in place for tracking information on AR4D programmes and investments.

GFAR worked with the European Initiative on Agricultural Research for Development (EIARD) to develop the background concept for this meeting, which was supported by funds provided by EIARD under its EC-FSTP supported program. GFAR and others are also active in the Research Working Group of the Global Donor Platform (GDPRD) and took advantage of the GDPRD Annual General Assembly in Berlin, 17-18 January 2012 as a timely opportunity to bring together technical specialists, representatives of regional organizations and donors actively involved in GDPRD & EIARD.

Further references

summary_report_stakeholder_workshop_on_tracking_investments_in_agricultural_research_for_development.pdf
eiard_1.4_donor_support_to_caadp_pillar_4_-_phase_1_appendices_with_eu_logo.pdf
eiard_1.4_donor_support_to_caadp_pillar_4_-_phase_1_report_with_eu_logo.pdf
eiard_1.4_donor_support_to_caadp_pillar_4_-_phase_2_report_with_eu_logo.pdf

First PAEPARD Partnership Inception workshop for the Mauritius Breadfruit sector

9th and 10th February 2012. Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC) Mauritius. The first PAEPARD Partnership Inception workshop for the Mauritius Breadfruit sector consortium was held.

This workshop is supported and is part of the PAEPARD Project, which is facilitating this collaboration among various stakeholders involved in the Breadfruit Sector in Mauritius, as well as European Partners (African-European Partnership). Stakeholders present at the workshop were from Research institutions, the University of Mauritius, farmer organisations, breadfruit exporters, breadfruit growers, the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security (plant protection and propagation) and the private sector. The workshop was facilitated by two external facilitators who have been selected and trained by PAEPARD.

• The overall Objectives of this workshop were for stakeholders to:
• Get to know each other
• Understand PAEPARD
• Appreciate the importance of partnership within the consortium
• Understand and apply the value-chain approach
• Participate actively in different group activities
• Establish a framework for effective partnership

The PowerPoint Presentations presented during the workshop can be viewed below.
Other documents and files related to the workshop have been added to the wiki HERE.

PAEPARD PIW1 (Mauritius) - Presentation1

PAEPARD PIW1 (Mauritius) - Presentation 2

More information is posted on the paepardmauritius-wiki + on the bog of Nawsheen

The Steering Committee meeting of PAEPARD

6th February, Brussels. The Steering Committee of PAEPARD is the highest organ of the project which decides and approves the policy of the PAEPARD platform proposed by the co-managers and endorsed by the MTM. Its composition is balanced between African and European partners on one hand and between researchers and non-researchers on the other.

The following member institutions of the PAEPARD Steering Committee were represented by their head.

• Africa: FARA (Prof.Monty Jones), RUFORUM (Adipala Ekwemu ), SSA-NGOC (Sylvie Mbog from Odeco), PAFFO (Elisabeth Atangana, excused) and PanAAC (Lucy Muchoki).
• Europe: EFARD (Ann Waters-Bayer from ETC/Prolinova), AGRINATURA (Dr. Andrew Westby of the Natural Resources Institute/UK), CSA (Marek Poznanski), COLEACP (Catherine Guichard), CTA (Judith Francis)
• The European Commission was represented by David Radcliffe (DevCO ARD, Senior Policy Officer, Agricultural Research for Development) and Danila CHIARO (DevCo, programme officer Research in Africa)
  
• Invited: Hans ERICKSSON Mirabel Development Consulting
• PAEPARD management and coordination: Dr. Adewale Adekunle, Dr. Jonas Mugabe, Francois Stepman

The Steering Committee of PAEPARD debated:

1. the PAEPARD Technical and financial report of year 2
2. the Work plan of the different work packages of PAEPARD for year 3
3. the Mid Term Review Briefing by the principal evaluator Hans Eriksson

The overall feeling was that PAEPARD's impact has improved considerably in its 2 years of existence. According to David Radcliffe, PAEPARD would gain credibility if consortia supported by PAEPARD would be selected in a call for proposals. 3 out of 19 consortia presently supported by PAEPARD have submitted their research proposal to a call.

It was recommended that in the future final and not draft versions of the technical report are presented to the Steering Committee. All the indicators of the initial logframe should be revisited against their progress to improve the results based reporting.

PAEPARD on Prezi

PAEPARD: ARD funding opportunities

A G R I C U L T U R E


Ref: HRST/ST/AURG/CALL2/2012/EuropeAid/132-331/M/ACT/ACP
The African Union Commission is seeking proposals for research focusing on the following thematic priorities articulated in Africa’s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) and its Lighthouse Projects: (a) Post-harvest and Agriculture, (b) Renewable and Sustainable Energy, and (c) Water and Sanitation in Africa. The programme is financed through the Financing Agreement between the European Commission and the ACP Group of States under the ACP Research for Sustainable Development Program of the 10th EDF Intra-ACP Envelop. The full Guidelines for Applicants, Application form and other supporting documents are available for downloading from the following Internet Sites:
1. http://www.africahrst.org/stict/rgp
2. http://www.au.int/researchgrant
3. http://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-services/index.cfm?do=publi.welcome
The deadline for submission of proposals is April 20, 2012.

Africa-Brazil Agricultural Innovation Marketplace
Third Call for Proposals. The objective of this initiative is to enhance agricultural innovation for development in Africa through partnerships between African and Brazilian organizations. Themes include productivity enhancement; natural resources management; advances in policies, institutions, and markets; and approaches targeted for poverty alleviation. Applications are invited from public and private organizations in Africa in partnership with one or more of Embrapa's centers in Brazil. Projects should be planned and implemented in Africa; proposals should be prepared in English. The priority is for projects in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Grants are up to US$80 thousand for projects of up to two years. The closing date for pre-proposals is 29 February 2012.

Agropolis Foundation (France) and CAPES (Brazil)
Research in Agricultural Sciences 2012. The Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) and the Agropolis Foundation invite proposals for Franco-Brazilian research in agricultural and related sciences. Priority is for integrated and interdisciplinary approaches that bring together biological, engineering, and social and human sciences. Requests for funding should not exceed €100 thousand, with a maximum contribution of €50 thousand from the Agropolis Foundation, for projects of up to two years. Research themes and eligibility criteria are included in the call for proposals. The application deadline is 10 February 2012.

European Commission (EC) - Diversifying Farm Income in Malawi. 
The Farm Income Diversification Project (Phase II) for Malawi seeks to improve the livelihoods of rural households through conserving natural resources and strengthening smallholder agriculture. The current call for proposals focuses on post-harvest storage and processing; increasing and diversifying agricultural productivity; and promoting agri-business. Eligibility for grants is open to nonprofit organizations in the EU, the European Economic Area, and EU candidate countries; ACP and least-developed countries (including Malawi); and inter-governmental organizations. Grants will range from €900 thousand to €1.0 million, subject to co-financing requirements. Reference EuropeAid/132284/M/ACT/MW. The closing date for concept notes is 06 February 2012.

Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa 2012-2013.
The Scottish International Development Team announces calls for proposals through the Malawi Development Program and the Sub-Saharan Africa Program (focusing on Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia). Priority areas of support include food security, renewable energy, climate change, and water. Grants are up to £400 thousand for three years in the Malawi program; and an average of about £1.3 million for three years in the Sub-Saharan Africa program. Applicants must have a Scottish presence. The closing dates for applications are 06 February 2012 in the Malawi program, and 02 March 2012 in the Sub-Saharan Africa program. Link Malawi Program   Link Sub-Saharan Africa Program


Innovations Against Poverty. 
"Innovations Against Poverty" makes grants to private companies that supply services, products, or processes that benefit people living in poverty. Eligibility for grants extends to enterprises that are based in or operate in developing countries in any sectors, e.g., agriculture, energy, natural resources, and all others. Small matching grants are up to €20 thousand (50% of project costs) to explore innovations or new markets. Larger matching grants up to €200 thousand (50% of project costs) support companies to put development projects to market tests, or to adapt existing products to be affordable and accessible by the poor. Applications for large grants require prior submission of concept notes. The third round of applications closes 30 April 2012


Australia-Africa Community Grants 2011-2012. 
The AACGS supports community-based activities across Africa. Funding is open to NGOs for projects that promote sustainable economic and social development. Thematic areas include agriculture and food security; environmental awareness; and conservation of natural resources (among others). Grants range from AUD30 thousand to AUD75 thousand (in rare cases, the AACGS will consider requests for larger amounts). The program is managed at Australia's diplomatic missions in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, and South Africa. Applicants should check the websites of Australia's diplomatic missions in those countries to locate the correct contact and application materials for the AACGS. Applications are accepted throughout the year (i.e., through 31 December 2012).

B I O D I V E R S I T Y 


Fondation Ensemble - Programs Fund 2012. 
The Programs Fund supports projects in renewable energies, sustainable agriculture, alternative waste management, biodiversity, and others. The Fund makes grants for a minimum of €50 thousand per year for at least two years, up to a maximum of €250 thousand -- limited to 50% of total project costs. Eligible countries are in Africa are: Benin & Mozambique.. The deadline for applications (French or English) is 12 February 2012.

AXA Research Fund - Calls for Proposals 2012. 
The AXA Research Fund supports research to help understand risk management and prevention, including risks related to natural disasters and climate change. The Fund calls for Projects applications. Applications can be submitted by pre-registered research institutions in EU member states and collaborating countries in the FP7 research program (including a number of developing countries). Closing date: 08 March 2012.


New England Biolabs Foundation -- Grassroots Conservation.
The Foundation makes grants to grassroots and charitable organizations to support conservation of biological diversity; ecosystem services; community food security; and marine environment. The geographical scope focuses on selected countries of the Gulf of Honduras; the Andean region; and West Africa (in addition to Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, Nicaragua, and El Salvador). Maximum grant size is US$10 thousand, but most grants are smaller. The next deadline for letters of inquiry is 15 February 2012.

C L I M A T E   C H A N G E

Global Development Alliance, Annual Program Statement 2011. 
The Global Development Alliance is a program to leverage resources for development in a ratio of at least 1:1 with USAID. The current Annual Program Statement (APS) includes priority themes in agriculture and livestock, water resources, and climate change (among others). USAID invites partnership proposals from private businesses, social entrepreneurs and investors, foundations, private philanthropists, diaspora communities, and other non-governmental organizations in the USA and worldwide. Matching resources can be cash and/or the value of in-kind contributions. The deadline for concept papers has been extended to 29 February 2012.


French National Agency for Agricultural Research (L'ANR) 
Agrobiosphère 2012. The ANR's research in "Agrobiosphère" focuses on the relationship between agriculture and ecosystems in the context of global warming, threats to biodiversity, and related issues. France's AIRD (Agence inter-établissements de recherche pour le développement) makes grants to co-finance research teams from developing countries to participate in Agrobiosphère. The closing date to apply is 22 March 2012.

Workshop on information & communication management for PAEPARD

31st of January - 1 February 2012. Montpellier. PAEPARD organised a workshop on information & communication management for the partners. The objective was to understand the different stakeholders’ tools and needs in terms of communication and information in partnerships & to adapt the existing PAEPARD tools to the stakeholders’ needs.

The main tools built by WP3 of PAEPARD are:

• Website. Ready to be used but need discussion on content and how to feed it.
• PAEPARD blog
• D-groups. Are currently used by PAEPARD and by some subgroups to discuss thematic and share documents.
• Matching tool on the PAEPARD website (wiki). The objective is to match different stakeholders around specific thematic of interest by using a database (based on previous mapping) and key words. The database would contain information about organizations (identity, thematic of interest/work, etc.). This tool is ready but the database is to be completed and the modalities of use are to be defined (types of data, privacy

The results of the workshop are:

1. A simple methodology is applicable to all categories of stakeholders represented at the workshop: farmers' organizations, NGOs, private sector, research
2. A tool to collect and interpret data gathered from this methodology.
3. A comprehensive and precise overview of the intentions, the opportunities and the constraints of the participants on the development of multi-stakeholder partnerships
4. Recommendations to strengthen partnerships and to circumvent bottlenecks.
5. A practical approach to assess the practices and tools used in the partnership process
6. A synthetic vision at each category of stakeholder of existing partnership mechanisms and tools used to implement.
7. Recommendationson improvingpracticesand tools already implemented.
8. A good knowledge and understanding of the tools developed in the project PAEPARD and their potential usefulness in the context of earch and development partnership
9. The possible selection of new tools not yet implemented at different levels (central level or at the stakeholder level)
10. Requests for modification of the tools currently in use so that they meet expectations
11. An initial mastery of tools ensuring an autonomous use by participants of these tools after the workshop
12. The exhaustive list of tasks to be done to implement the recommendations of the workshop.
13. Prioritization of these tasks according to the constraints of the participants
14. The development of a realistic road map for a first level of early implementation of the recommendations.
15. The selection of information to be disseminated
16. A selection of tools for communication and information within the project team
17. A clear procedure for the implementation of a strategy of information and communication within the project team
18. A consensus view on the topics discussed and proposals for implementation.
19. These proposals were forwarded to the Communication Working Group of Work Package 3

Growth and Productivity in Agriculture and Agribusiness: Evaluative Lessons from World Bank Group Experience

Enhanced agricultural growth and productivity are essential if we are to meet the worldwide demand for food and reduce poverty, particularly in the poorest developing countries. Between 1998 and 2008, the period covered by this evaluation, the World Bank Group provided $23.7 billion in financing for agriculture and agribusiness in 108 countries (roughly 8 percent of total World Bank Group financing), spanning areas from irrigation and marketing to research and extension. This was, however, a time of declining focus on agricultural growth and productivity by both countries and donors.

The cost of inadequate attention to agriculture, especially in agriculture-based economies, came into focus with the food crisis of 2007–08. The crisis added momentum to an emerging renewal of attention and stepped-up financing to agriculture and agribusiness at the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC), as well as at several multilateral and bilateral agencies. World Bank financing rose two and a half times from 2008 to 2009, although this increased lending seems to have been accompanied by a decline in analytical work, which this review finds valuable in achieving results. This evaluation seeks to provide lessons from successes and failures in the Bank Group’s activities in the sector to help improve the development impact of the renewed attention. More >