Announcement: 2nd Africa Food Security & Adaptation Conference

30-31 July 2015. 2nd Africa Food Security and Adaptation Conference: Africa's Soil the New Frontier: Re-imagining Africa Food Security Now and into the Future.

Following the Nairobi Declaration of 21 August 2013 of the 1st Africa Food Security and Adaptation Conference whose recommendations where adopted by The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) , where they 'recommended that the conference be convened every two years to facilitate knowledge sharing and ensure that ecosystem based adaptation actions solve crosscutting challenges including achieving the proposed "Sustainable Development Goals". Against this backdrop, the 2nd Africa Food Security and Adaptation conference (AFSAC2) is slated to take place on July 30-31, 2015 with theme: Africa’s Soil the New Frontier: Re-imagining Africa Food Security Now and into the Future Under a Changing Climate. See the website to register for the conference.

In 2013 the first conference outcomes and declaration gave impetus and made the case for Ecosystem based Adaptation (EBA) for Food security as an approaches that can address both food security and adaptation to climate change and currently the African Union Commission has considered EBA among priority mechanisms not only to building resilience to climate change related shocks and enhance agricultural productivity for better food security but also promoting sustainable land use and land management as it is explicitly stated in Pillar I of CAADP.

The key objectives of the conference are:

• To identify scalable and inclusive business models for EBA driven agriculture that can create opportunities in the entire agricultural value chain 
• To identify scalable innovative financing models for EBA driven agriculture that when implemented could stimulate growth, job creation and value chain partnership in Africa 
• To understand the benefits of EBA for job creation and the achievement of the proposed SDGs and what Africa will lose as a continent if EbA is ignored or given little support; 
• To identify enabling policies and legislation that will incentivize countries to invest in agriculture, soil conservation and EbA; 
• To discuss what needs to be done to incentivize private sector involvement in EBA-driven agriculture to bring in capital and enhance competitiveness. 

The conference will link the outcomes and declaration from the 1st conference and the EbA mapping that were conducted by the continental task force team. AFSAC2 outcomes will help in accelerating the implementation of the Malabo declaration on agriculture and food security as well as contribute to the Agenda 2063.

Increasing financial inclusion in the East African agriculture industry

18 January 2015. Village Capital, in partnership with MasterCard Foundation and Duncan Goldie-Scot, has announced the launch of its accelerator program, Village Capital FinTech for Agriculture: East Africa 2015.

Smallholder farmers in East Africa cannot participate in the mainstream economy because they lack access to financial services as a result of their location, their lack of financial literacy, and other barriers.

In order to address this situation, Village Capital FinTech for Agriculture plans to meet this need by supporting the best local early-stage ventures increasing financial inclusion in the East African agriculture industry, benefitting smallholder farmers, investors, communities, and entrepreneurs in the region.

Village Capital will provide selected ventures with intensive business development training, mentorship from local business leaders and investors, and face-to-face interaction with potential customers. The program aims to create 200 jobs over the next two years in East Africa, with an estimated 60 per cent of jobs going to individuals living below the poverty line. Graduating enterprises are also expected to increase revenue growth by 4.5 times and distribute goods and/or services to 200,000 customers (with a primary target of smallholder farmers) within that time period.

Ross Baird, Executive Director, Village Capital, highlighted the significance of this program saying:

"Village Capital connects the best early-stage entrepreneurs to real customer needs across the world, and smallholder farmers in East Africa need access to quality financial services. Together with The MasterCard Foundation, we are addressing this problem by training local start-ups to scale their impact to benefit local farmers."

Village Capital FinTech for Agriculture: East Africa 2015 is especially interested in ventures that solve problems in agriculture, or for which smallholders or agribusinesses represent part or all of their customer base.

• The program will select 12 start-up firms for business development training. The aim is to unlock innovations that increase access to financial services for smallholder farmers. At the end of the program, the two start-ups ranked highest by other entrepreneurs in the program will each receive US $50,000 to help scale their businesses and impact.
• Applications can be submitted via this link and will be accepted through February 25, 2015. The selected applicants will be announced at the end of March 2015.
• The best submissions will be innovations that improve access to payments, financial security, accounting, cash management, credit, loans, cash advances, or other financial services for smallholder farmers or agribusinesses; first-to-market innovations in the agricultural sector; Ventures that increase access to financial services in agriculture, or for which smallholders or agribusinesses represent part or all of their customer base and technologies that formalize informal markets, increase the efficiency of the agricultural supply chain, improve business that serve smallholder farmers, and/or build wealth for smallholder farmers, low-wealth households or individuals.

Background Videos:

Ross Baird: Who tends to be Village Capital's audience and ...

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Carol Sanford interviews Ross Baird of Village Capital. See more at www.carolsanford.com and www.vilcap.com.

Ross Baird: How does Village Capital get funded? Where ...

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Ross Baird: Can you tell us a few events or experiences ...

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Ross Baird: How do you assess whether or not what you are ...

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Ross Baird: Can you give us examples of challenges you ...

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Agribusiness in Africa

Rob Smith, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Europe, Africa and Middle East; H. E. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, Former President, Republic of Mozambique; Christian Schmidt, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Germany; H. E. Sir Quett Ketumile Joni Masire, Former President Republic of Botswana and Martin Richenhagen, AGCO Chairman, President & CEO at the AGCO Africa Summit 2015.

19 January 2015. Berlin, Germany. Agribusiness in Africa. AGCO Corporation organized the 4th AGCO Africa Summit. In cooperation with Bayer CropScience, DEG and Rabobank the aim was to capitalize on the successful events of the previous years and establish a regular dialogue on Africa’s agricultural future in the context of the problematic issue of global nutrition.

The theme of the 4th AGCO Africa Summit was “Agribusiness in Africa – Partnering for Growth” and the summit had a strong focus on private sector driven agricultural growth, promoting the idea of agriculture as a business and not just a development agenda. Speeches and panel sessions showcased implemented projects touching on successful approaches for engaging with large-scale commercial projects, how to catalyze successful mid-sized domestic agribusiness and also building scale with commercially minded smallholder farmers.

• The following dignitaries attended this year’s H.E. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, former president of Mozambique; H.E. Sir Quett Ketumile Joni Masire, former president ofBotswana and Christian Schmidt, Germany’s federal minister of food and agriculture.
• Joining AGCO in sponsoring the summit were Bayer CropScience, DEG — Deutsche Investitions - und Entwicklungsgesellschaft and Rabobank.

See the pictures of the conference.

AGCO’s Future Farms are to give local farmers and AGCO dealers hands-on training experience with leading edge agricultural equipment and practices.

They are to have a new state-of-the mechanization center, a poultry learning center and a grain handling center, which the release says, are “each a first of its kind for Africa.

A grand opening is to take place in May for a Future Farm already fully operational in Zambia. Others are planned for key African markets, primarily in Francophone countries.

Rob Smith, AGCO senior vice president and general manager for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, said that “Africa represents an important future growth market for AGCO and we are putting sustainable mechanization at the core of our strategic investments.”

AGCO invested $350 million and committed some six years of research and development into its Massey Ferguson Global Series, a new product line of 60-130hp tractors which are to ultimately be assembled at multiple manufacturing sites and are to be sold in Africa and elsewhere.

“For AGCO, ‘sustainable mechanization’ means designing our products for the African market environment and building them locally,” Dr. Smith said. “it also means providing professional training for operating, maintaining and servicing our machines, and first class support through out extensive dealer network and parts supply in Africa.”

Related:

28 - 29 January 2015. Dar es Salaam. Agribusiness Congress East Africa Conference. Over 800 agricultural experts convened to debate on finance, best practices and sustainability in the region’s blossoming farming sector.

The conference represented the entire agribusiness spectrum from input suppliers, agro-processors, traders, exporters, retailers, commercial farmers, processors, policy makers and associations.

Related:

9th to 10th March 2015. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Agro-industry Development for Food and Nutritional Security in Southern Africa

ECA-SA, in collaboration with the COMESA and SADC Secretariats will organize an Ad Hoc Experts Group on Agro-industry development for food and nutritional security in Southern Africato discuss and review the state of the agriculture sector in Southern Africa. The meeting with take place from . 

The Expert Group Meeting will discuss emerging issues and challenges in strengthening agro-industry for food and nutritional security in the SADC region. An issues paper on Agro-industry development for food and nutritional security in Southern Africa will be the major discussion paper. The two day meeting is expected to provide concrete recommendations on how to strengthen the agro-industry sector through among others partnerships, best practices and lessons from other regions.

Participants will include agro-industry and agribusiness experts from government institutions, the private sector, SADC institutions, civil society, academia and others development partners.

Impacts of climate change on rice markets in Senegal

The Stockholm Environment Institute’s research project Adaptation without Borders is placing a spotlight on the country of Senegal in West Africa to illustrate how climate change can have unexpected and indirect impacts on food security and social stability. in this blogpost four short films explore these issues in relation to rice production, consumption and global trade.

Spotlight on Senegal

In the film below SEI Researcher Adam John discusses global rice markets and price volatility in the context of a changing climate. He describes what it is about rice markets that makes them so volatile and explains why this makes countries like Senegal, who import the vast majority of their rice, so vulnerable to climate change effects on rice production in other countries - and the policy response of governments in major rice exporting and importing countries abroad. Adam also reflects on the scope for Senegal to reduce this vulnerability by reducing its import dependence.

Rice is the main staple food in Senegal. It currently imports around 70% of what is consumed, but has high potential to increase domestic production and big plans to become self-sufficient by 2017. SEI Researchers Adam John and Magnus Benzie travel through Senegal in this film to explore how the country is planning to achieve food security in the face of climate change impacts both at home and abroad…

Experts from the Africa Rice Centre explain the potential for Senegal to become self sufficient in rice. Does the country have the resources required to achieve this ambition in spite of climate change? Watch the film below.

Djeneba - a resident of Dakar - describes in the next film why so many people in Senegal today prefer to eat rice as their staple food as opposed to more traditional cereals. She compares domestically produced rice with imported rice to demonstrate why there is such a strong preference for the imported variety.

Read Djeneba's story here to learn more about what connects rice harvests in Asia and global trade to a hard working nanny in Senegal. Why are rice prices so important? Follow the link to find out more.
Read Djeneba's story here

Related: 16/01/2015. Daily Times Nigeria Rice policy: Asian cartel and their disruptive agenda Foreign importers have even falsely argued that rice production in Nigeria is not economically feasible and un­controlled imports should be allowed in. But the reality is completely different. Nigerian farmers have shown an impres­sive performance in response to Government’s new rice policy that favours local rice produc­tion and milling.

The cavy innovation platform in South Kivu

22 January 2015. Last year, FAO invited PhD students and young researchers from developing countries, working in the area of animal nutrition, to participate in a video competition and to share information on promising animal nutrition technologies or interventions that will contribute to improved feeding of livestock.

The purpose of conducting the competition was to:

• promote research focusing on the needs of smallholder farmers,
• enhance South-South knowledge exchange and transfer, and
• facilitate identification of technologies and interventions that have potential for replication and upscaling.

A set of 11 selected Videos from the competition can now be accessed. Here is the video related to Africa:

The cavy innovation platform in South Kivu.

• In Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 70% of the smallholder livestock keep cavy (guinea pigs). 
• The video highlights the importance of feeding grasses mixed with legumes and concentrate feeds as supplements. 
• Improved housing for Cavy, which provides clean environment, free access to water and proper feeding has also been developed; and future research areas have been highlighted. The aim is to increase income and nutrition of the families farming cavy. 

With the support of AusAid, ILRI, CIAT, INERA/DRC, BeaC ( Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa), ...

La Filière Avicole du Niger

17 janvier 2015. La Plateforme d’Innovations des Acteurs de la Filière Avicole de la région de Niamey a organisée un atelier en vue de la validation de son plan d’action pour l’exercice 2015-2017.

Cette réunion a vu la participation de responsables du Ministère de l’Elevage, les partenaires techniques et financiers, les organes de presse, les représentants des plateformes de lait et de clichi et les acteurs de la filière avicole. La qualité des participants a permis d’enrichir le document soumis à leurs appréciations.
La ténue de cet atelier a été rendu possible grâce à l’appui financier du PPAAO, le soutien matériel et moral du Ministère de l’Elevage ainsi que l’engagement et la détermination des membres de ladite Platforme.

Volet Aviculture Moderne

• Réduction des taxes à l’importation 
• Appuyer la mise en place des couvoirs modernes 
• Approvisionnement en aliments: - Rendre fonctionnel les usines aliments bétail - Appuyer la mise en place mini usines aliment bétail - Promouvoir l’utilisation des ingrédients locaux 
• Stress thermique - Souches résistantes à la chaleur - Habitat adapté (recherche) 
• Faciliter l’accès au financement 
• Respecter les normes de transport 
• Rendre les produits disponibles et accessibles 
• Appliquer le plan de prophylaxie 
• Elaboration et mise en œuvre d’un programme de lutte contre les maladies aviaires 
• Respect de normes dans la construction des bâtiments 
• Rendre les ingrédients disponibles et accessibles 
• Former les acteurs aux bonnes pratiques et veiller à l’application des règles de biosécurité 
• Améliorer le niveau d’encadrement 
• Appuyer la mise en place d’organisation professionnelle et interprofessionnelle 
• Mettre en place un mécanisme d’approvisionnement fiable

Volet Aviculture traditionnelle

• Elaboration et mise en œuvre d’un programme de lutte contre les maladies aviaires 
• Améliorer l’habitat 
• Potentiel génétique de production: -Caractériser , sélectionner ,diffuser des sujets performants - Croisement races locales les races exotiques performantes 
• Utilisation d’habitats adaptés 
• Améliorer les conditions d’alimentation et d’abreuvement 
• Faciliter l’accès au financement 
• Appuyer la mise en place d’organisation professionnelle et interprofessionnelle 
• Renforcement des capacités 
• Rendre les produits vétérinaires disponibles et accessibles

Voir egalement:
19/05/2014 Mise en place de la plateforme d’innovation des acteurs de la filière avicole au Niger.

One Acre Fund library

One Acre Fund, an award-winning nonprofit that works with smallholder farmers to increase their productivity and incomes, today announced the launch of One Acre Fund Insights, a living library of white papers and case studies for agriculture development practitioners and social enterprise professionals.

The new library will contain reports on One Acre Fund’s completed crop trials and current initiatives, as well as original articles on topics related to international development, agriculture innovation, social enterprise, and rural microfinance. The online library can be accessed via http://www.oneacrefund.org/library and will expand dramatically in 2015.

“Since launching One Acre Fund in 2006, we have learned a lot from the smallholder farmers we work with every day in the field,” said Andrew Youn, the organization’s executive director and co-founder. “One Acre Fund Insights is an attempt to document some of this knowledge and to proactively share our lessons learned with other organizations and professionals working to end hunger and poverty.”

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund supplies smallholder farmers in East Africa with the financing and training they need to grow their way out of hunger and poverty. Through a comprehensive bundle of services offered on credit, the organization distributes quality farm inputs to the remote areas where farmers live, trains farmers on agricultural techniques, and educates them on how to minimize post-harvest losses and to maximize market prices. On average, farmers working with One Acre Fund realize a 100 percent return on their investment and significantly increase farm income from every planted acre. The organization currently serves 200,000 smallholder farmers across Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania, reaching more than one million people in rural East Africa.

Food Tank Summit

21 - 22 January 2015. Food Tank, in partnership with The George Washington (GW) University, organised its 1st Annual Food Tank Summit.

This two-day event featured more than 75 different speakers from the food and agriculture field. Researchers, farmers, chefs, policy makers, government officials, and students will come together panels on topics including; food waste, urban agriculture, family farmers, farm workers, and more.

Published on 1 Feb 2015

The Democratizing Innovation panel discussed the connection between industry and innovation, as well as the challenges of scaling up and scaling out innovative practices.

Keynote speaker John Fisk, Director of the Wallace Center at Winrock International, began the session by defining democratizing innovation as scaling innovations with the purpose of enabling self determination.

Seven panelists spoke about their different approaches to scaling up and scaling out innovations—from shifting investment practices to targeting supply chains—but all were joined by optimism for disruptive food system changes that would make the existing model obsolete.

Panelists also emphasized the importance of bringing together and engaging different stakeholders in the food system, including local governments, smallholder farmers, and public and private sectors in order to drive changes on the ground. WATCH each of the panelists discuss their approach to democratizing innovation:

• John Fisk (Winrock International) on democratizing responsibility and changing the system
• Steve Brescia (Groundswell International) on working with local governments to support small farmers
• Doug Hertzler (ActionAid) on engaging local governments and smallholders
• Jill Isenbarger (Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture) on building active food citizenship
• Aaron McNevin (World Wildlife Fund) on private sector research
• Jessica Rosen (Forum for the Future) on rethinking food system as a value network
• Shen Tong (Food-X) on changing investments to change the industry and doing well

Published on 6 Feb 2015 "Pushing for Better Agriculture Research and Policy" panel

• Keynote: Jerry Glover, United States Agency for International
• Janet Larsen, Earth Policy Institute
• Jahi Chappell, The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
• Nabeeha Kazi, Humanitas Global, @humanitasglobal
• Pamela Hess, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture
• Emily Broad Leib, Harvard Law School, @broademily
• Barbara Ekwall, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization

Jerry Glover, United States Agency for International (USAID)


Janet Larsen, Earth Policy Institute


Nabeeha Kazi Huchins, Humanitas Global


Jahi Chappell, The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)



 Barbara Ekwall, FAO



Pamela Hess, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture


Emily Broad Leib, Harvard Law School

Food Tank also posted individual videos of each of the speakers.
Click HERE to read interviews with many of the speakers and Food Tank will be posting photos of the event on their Facebook page HERE.
(Download the Full Program HERE)

Regional workshop – Livestock and climate change

12-14 January 2015. Dakar, Senegal. Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA) National Laboratory for Livestock and Veterinary Research (LNERV). Regional workshop – Livestock and climate change / Atelier Regional – Elevage et Changement Climatique 

The demand for livestock products is growing and climate change threatens food security and rural livelihoods. Policies that are currently in place may prove insufficient. Livestock systems are a significant contributor to greenhouse gases (GHG) but there is much uncertainty.

ANIMALCHANGE is providing a vision of the future of the livestock sector under climate change.

• Reduce uncertainties concerning GHG emissions from livestock systems.
• Include climate variability as part of impact assessment.
• Develop cutting-edge technologies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
• Assess economic and societal costs of business as usual and of adaptation and mitigation scenarios.
• Assess the vulnerability of livestock to climate change and feedbacks on GHG emissions.
• Provide direct support to set up policies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change for the livestock sector.
• Reach out to stakeholders by organising symposia, training of scientists, technicians and policy makers and forming a network to alert stakeholders of project outputs and events.

Forthcoming:

2nd and 3rd February 2015. “Livestock and Climate Change” Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.
The event will include presentations and in-depth discussion on:

• Climate predictions for East Africa under different scenarios and implications on the livestock sector
• Mitigation and adaptation strategies that are relevant to East Africa.
• Socio Economic, Inventory and Policy perspectives
• Future implementation strategies for livestock systems that will adapt to climate change, will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and increase efficiency of production.

Download invitation | Programme | Logistics | Information on grants (deadline: 19th January)

Smallholder Agricultural Carbon Projects in Eastern Africa

With four modules divided into easy-to-follow units and loaded with sample forms, step-by-step instructions, and simple, meaningful visual aids, this is a new tool for rural development project managers looking to capture the value of carbon while improving landscape performance and farmer livelihoods.

The manual describes the steps for implementing an afforestation/reforestation voluntary carbon project based on the Plan Vivo Standard. It builds on experience gained by the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), ENR Africa Associates, and EcoAgriculture Partners while undertaking a participatory action research project focusing on the institutional arrangements of smallholder agricultural carbon projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. This work was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS).

Download the manual directly
Read more about how the manual was developed.

Davos 2015: Focusing on international food security, nutrition and health

21 January , 2015 in Davos 2015. 

Bridging the gap between rich and poor over food 

With huge discrepancies occurring between rich and poor over what they eat, CNBC Africa's Alec Hogg speaks to Shenggen Fan, director general, International Food Policy Research Institute, about what needs to be done to fix the problem.

 

Increased concentration of wealth
Winnie Byanyima, executive director of Oxfam International and one of the six co-chairs at this year’s WEF, said the increased concentration of wealth seen since the deep recession of 2008-09 was dangerous and needed to be reversed.

   

Global wealth is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small wealthy elite. These wealthy individuals have generated and sustained their vast riches through their interests and activities in a few important economic sectors, including finance and insurance, and pharmaceuticals and healthcare. Companies from these sectors spend millions of dollars every year on lobbying to create a policy environment that protects and enhances their interests further. The most prolific lobbying activities in the US are on budget and tax issues; public resources that should be directed to benefit the whole population, rather than reflect the interests of powerful lobbyists. 

A briefing (publication date 19 January 2015) explains Oxfam’s methodology and data sources and updates key inequality statistics, such as Oxfam’s frequently cited fact in 2014: ‘85 billionaires have the same wealth as the bottom half of the world’s population’.

Has Africa fallen of the WEF agenda?
CNBC Africa asks Elsie Kanza, senior director, head of Africa, World Economic Forum.

 

Full debate
Reports of Africa’s economic demise have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, small pockets of insecurity exist and raise popular fears in the media, but the continent’s economy has never been more stable, diversified, linked, open, resilient and welcoming than it is now, at regional, national and local levels.

PAEPARD: ARD funding opportunities

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A G R I C U L T U R E

Horizon 2020

The Work Programme on ‘Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy’ offers opportunities in finding diverse and innovative solutions to well-identified challenges in key EU policy priorities. Through generic or dedicated topics, a broad multidisciplinary participation is welcomed in these efforts.Specific topics related to Africa:
SFS-1C-2014/2015: Sustainable terrestrial livestock production: Assessing sustainability of terrestrial livestock production (page 8)
SFS-2B-2014/2015: Sustainable crop production: Assessing soil-improving cropping systems (page 10)
SFS-3-2014: Practical solutions for native and alien pests affecting plants (page 13)
SFS-13-2015: Biological contamination of crops and the food chain (page 23)
SFS-18-2015: Small farms but global markets: the role of small and family farms in food and nutrition security (page 29) . Deadline First stage 3 February 2015

2nd Open Call on Global Issues.
The Swiss Program for Research on Global Issues for Development (r4d Program) makes grants for transnational and interdisciplinary research focusing on poverty reduction, global risks, and the provision of public goods. Applications are invited from nonprofit Swiss research institutions in partnerships with research institutions in the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Grants are up to CHF 500 thousand for up to three years. The application deadline for pre-proposals is 6 February 2015.

Clean Energy for Agriculture
USAID invites applications for "Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development." The program aims to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy to increase agriculture productivity and/or value in developing countries. Applications are invited from any category of organization or institution worldwide. The size of grants is up to US$500 thousand (Window 1), and US$500 thousand to US$2 million (Window 2). Deadline:12 February 2015

Diaspora Marketplace III
The African Diaspora Marketplace is sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development and Western Union to support the start-up and expansion of businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa. This refers to enterprises in agribusiness, water supply, energy, fisheries, livestock, tourism, environmental services, and various other sectors. Eligibility for grants in ADM III extends to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who own at least 25 percent of the business, and who will be an active member of the business management team. Applications must provide a minimum of one-to-one match funding. The deadline for concept notes is 13 February 2015.

Geodata for Agriculture and Water (G4AW)
G4AW is a program by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, executed by the Netherlands Space Office, to support private investments for satellite-based information services that improve the output of agriculture, livestock, and fishing in 26 emerging and developing countries. Grants will range from €500 thousand to €5 million for consortia of Dutch organizations in partnerships with organizations in Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The application deadline is 27 February 2015

Livelihoods in South Sudan
USAID will make grants to improve livelihoods in the areas of South Sudan most severely affected by conflict. Interventions should address agriculture; livestock and fisheries; water and sanitation; reduced disaster risks; and other thematic areas identified in the announcement. Eligibility for funding extends to nonprofit organizations and colleges and universities, either individually or in consortia. USAID anticipates making up to four cooperative agreements of at least US$10 million per award for up to three years. Reference APS-OFDA-15-000004. The deadline for proposals is 27 February 2015.

PACE for Enterprise Development
Partnering to Accelerate Entrepreneurship (PACE) is a program in USAID's Global Development Alliance to direct private investment to early-stage enterprises in developing countries. Thematic areas may include agriculture, energy, and water - among others. USAID invites concept papers to propose public-private partnerships for a single country or multiple countries in which USAID is present. Details are found in the FAQ of the announcement. The deadline for concept papers is 27 February 2015.

Food and Business Applied Research Fund
The Food and Business Applied Research Fund provides grants to applied research contributing to innovation for food security and private sector development in the 15 partner countries of Dutch development cooperation. Proposals may be submitted by consortia consisting of at least one private or public practitioners organisation active in the partner countries and one research or higher education organisation. One Dutch partner is required. Application form 2nd Call for proposals 2014/2015 – Round 2. Deadline:  last round 12 May 2015.

International Wheat Yield Partnership
This program of CIMMYT is initiating its first competitive funding call. The aim is to to substantially increase the genetic yield potential of wheat by focusing on the four research topics identified in the call. Grants (cash and in-kind) are up to US$2 million over three years. The application period for pre-proposals is 15 January through 15 March 2015.

Global Center for Food Systems
In partnership with other organizations, Michigan State University invites applications to the Global Center for Food Systems Innovation. The program seeks science-based solutions to the challenges of food systems in relation to ten thematic areas. Eligibility for funding extends to universities; government and private laboratories; research organizations; and companies. Individuals may be eligible under some circumstances. Proposals are invited worldwide for implementation (testing, evaluation, scaling) including following African countries : Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, or Zambia. The application deadline is 16 March 2015.

New CIFSRF call for proposals in 2015
Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD) are pleased to provide advanced notice about the upcoming 2015 Open Call for Proposals. The call will support projects that aim at developing, testing and applying ways to scale up food security and nutrition innovations. Date of official launch: early February, 2015. Funding: projects will be in the range of CAD $0.5 to $1.5 million. Duration of the projects: up to 28 months. Deadline for full proposals: 27 March 2015. 

Irwin Andrew Porter Foundation
The Foundation's international grant making includes projects for agriculture, natural resources, and grassroots conservation. Grants range from US$500 to US$30 thousand per year for projects of 1-2 years. Applicants must have tax-exempt status or a tax-exempt fiscal agent in the USA. The deadline for applications is 30 April.

Presbyterian Hunger Program
This program supports nonprofit organizations for projects that provide food relief, development assistance, and improved public policy in the fight against hunger. Activities in international development assistance include agricultural production, livestock development, land rights, soil and water conservation, and others. PHP gives preference to applications submitted by organizations based in the geographic area of the proposed activities. The average grant is about US$7 thousand. The deadline is 30 April.

The Agri-Tech Catalyst.
The £70m ‘Agri-Tech Catalyst' funding scheme has been launched to help businesses and researchers develop innovative solutions to global challenges in the agricultural technology (‘agri-tech') sector.
Early-stage projects will explore the commercial potential of an early-stage scientific idea through feasibility studies. Deadline: 17 June 2015.Industrial research projects aim to develop innovative solutions, eg through technology development, lab-based prototyping, product development planning, field trials, and market testing. Deadline: 1 April 2015.
Late-stage projects evaluate or trial the commercial potential of an innovative concept in a real-life environment ahead of deployment. This can be through pre-experimental feasibility studies or experimental development. Deadline: 17 June 2015.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Projects in Developing Countries
The Nordic Climate Facility has launched a 5th call for proposals on the theme of "Climate Resilience in Urban and Private Sector Contexts." Grants ranging from €250 thousand to €500 thousand will be made to partnerships between relevant Nordic institutions and qualified local partners in eligible low-income countries. The eligible African countries are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Deadline: 30 January 2015.

Global Environmental Change
In collaboration with the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Swedish Secretariat for Environmental Earth System Sciences (SSEESS) announced funding to link researchers in Sweden with partners in Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Research themes are global environmental change, including climate change and adaptation; urban health and well-being in a changing environment; sustainable energy; and natural and human-induced hazards and disaster risk management. Swedish scientists apply for SEK 90 thousand in order to network with partners in the developing regions. Deadline: 31 Jan 2015.

Initiative Secteur Privé dans le domaine du changement climatique
Le Fonds Français pour l’Environnement Mondial lance le 3ème appel à projets de son programme FISP-CLIMAT. La facilité FISP-Climat a vocation à promouvoir les innovations dans le secteur du changement climatique, portées par les acteurs privés et développées dans un pays éligible, en partenariat avec des acteurs locaux. Deadline: 12 March 2015.

BIO DIVERSITY

Business Services to Advance Energy Projects in Africa
ENEA Access will provide 30-100 days of pro bono consulting services for selected energy projects in Africa. Projects must contribute to the reduction of poverty and/or the impacts of climate change as a result of improved access to energy. The range of available services includes market studies, feasibility studies, pilot structuring, business modeling, impact assessments, and others. The deadline for applications (French, English) is 15 February 2015.

Award for Research on Biodiversity to Improve Human Nutrition
Each year, the Belgian Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences sponsors a competition to stimulate high-quality research regarding problems inherent in the developing world. The questions for 2015 include one on the potential contributions of plant and/or animal biodiversity to improve nutrition security and health in developing countries. Each award-winning work is granted a prize of €2,500. The deadline is 01 March 2015.

FELLOWSHIPS/SCHOLARSHIPS

Agris Mundus 2015-2017
Agris Mundus invites qualified individuals worldwide for two-year master's degrees oriented towards agriculture and natural resources in the developing world. The courses are given at the member universities of Agris Mundus in Europe. Applicants can apply for scholarships to offset fees and living expenses. The Agris Mundus MSc is a product of AGRINATURA. The whole course is coordinated by Montpellier SupAgro. The program is funded by the European Commission. Deadline: 31 Jan 2015.

Graduate Studies for Africans at Michigan State University 2015.
The MasterCard Foundation funds citizens and residents of Sub-Saharan Africa for graduate studies at Michigan State University, USA. The fields of study at MSU include agriculture and natural resources; veterinary medicine; natural sciences; and many others. The deadline for completed applications is 02 February 2015.

Scholarships and Training Grants 2015-2016.
The French-language universities of Belgium award 150 scholarships and 70 training grants each year in the ARES program to applicants from developing countries. Subjects include aquaculture; tropical animal and plant resources; environmental management; management of natural hazards; and others. The deadline for applications (French or English) is 11 February 2015.

Scholarships and Training Grants 2015-2016.
Trainings (7) or Master programmes (15) taught in English at a Belgian Flemish university or university college. Deadlines vary according to the course.

Doctoral Studies in Social and Agricultural Sciences
The University of Kassel in Germany collaborates with partner universities in Brazil, Ghana, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and South Africa to comprise the International Center for Development and Decent Work (ICDD) as an interdisciplinary scientific network. With funding by the German government, ICDD offers doctoral fellowships at the network's eight member universities in themes that integrate agricultural development, livelihoods, and rural welfare. Applications are accepted from qualified citizens of all aid-recipient countries. The selected PhD students will be based at the partner university they choose. Funding is for three years, with a possibility to extend for a fourth year. The application deadline is 15 February 2015

University Studies in Germany 2015.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation annually funds approximately 1,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students across all subjects and nationalities for university studies in Germany. Preference is for applicants working in the subject areas of the Foundation such as climate and energy, resource governance, and ecology and green development (among others). The geographical scope (but not exclusive) for international students is Central and Eastern Europe; EU neighborhood countries and the CIS; the Middle East and North Africa; transition and newly industrialized countries; and conflict regions worldwide. Applicants should be capable in German language. The deadline for international applications (i.e., from outside Germany) is 01 March 2015.

International Climate Protection Fellowships.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation offers 20 fellowships for young climate experts from developing countries interested in conducting a project in Germany and pursuing long-term collaboration. The fellowship allows future leaders to spend a year in Germany working on a research-based project of their own choice in the field of climate protection. Fellows choose their own hosts. The fellowship includes intensive language training and an orientation program at the introduction. The deadline for applications is 15 March 2015. 

Grants for Research in Environmental Topics
The Eppley Foundation supports advanced scientific research by scientists and medical doctors with established records of publications in their specialties. These specialties include endangered animals and ecosystems; climate change; and others. Past grants include examples related to conservation and ecology in Africa, China, and elsewhere. Grants may be awarded for research internationally when applicants are based in the USA, or are associated with U.S. institutions that will administer the grants. Most grants are under US$25 thousand. The deadlines for letters of inquiry are 15 March and 15 September 2015.

International Master of Science in Rural Development
This two-year master's program in rural development and agricultural economics, focuses on socioeconomic and institutional aspects. The IMRD comprises a consortium of 16 participating universities in the EU, China, Ecuador, India, South Africa, and the USA. The program invites qualified individuals from around the world to apply. The program offers Erasmus Mundus Scholarships as well as IMRD Consortium Scholarships. The deadline to apply for scholarships is 15 March 2015.

Taiwan Scholarships
Taiwan's program of development assistance includes scholarships for university students in eligible developing countries to study in Taiwan. The program provides full scholarships for applicants from selected countries in the Asia-Pacific region, West Asia, Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America and Caribbean. Subject areas at Taiwan's participating universities include tropical agriculture, renewable energy, environmental sciences, conservation and wildlife management, and others. The application period each year is 01 January through 15 March.

Fellowships for Agricultural Research
The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (Borlaug LEAP) offers fellowships for graduate students from developing countries for agricultural research at universities in the USA. The program currently invites applications from citizens of USAID-assisted countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Each research project is coordinated by a university in the student's home country, a university in the USA, and a mentor in the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The next application deadline is 31 March 2015.

New Zealand Aid Program
Development Scholarships 2016. New Zealand's government provides a variety of opportunities for training and university study through the New Zealand Aid Program, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The priorities often include agriculture, renewable energy, fisheries, disaster risk management, and other areas related to natural resources and environment. For individuals intending to pursue tertiary studies at any of the ten eligible New Zealand universities and institutes of technology, NZAID recommends applying for admission before 30 April.

Transdisciplinary Research Summer School
Stellenbosch University offers the following Transdisciplinary Research Summer School on Sustainability.
Full bursaries (including travel & accomadation) are available for participants from the following universities: Mekelle University, University of Nigeria Nsukka, University Of Ghana, University of Dar es Salaam, University of Botswana and the University of Nairobi. Aim of Summer School: Complex global sustainability challenges relating, for example, to the problems of increasing inequality, natural resource depletion, energy, water and food security, pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, rapid urbanisation, etc., cannot be understood and addressed using mono-disciplinary approaches alone. Dates: 23 - 27 February 2015

Environment and Sustainability Research Grants
‎The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) announced that it will make four awards of £9 thousand each to young researchers for projects that investigate some of the bigger issues of environmental sustainability. These issues could include -- but are not limited to -- water and development, energy security, and urban migration. Applicants must be affiliated with an institution of higher education in the UK. The application deadline is 20 March 2015

African Biosciences Challenge Fund

The Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub awards research fellowships to African agricultural researchers for short-term projects at the BecA-ILRI Hub in Nairobi. Candidates should be currently engaged in agricultural research and be affiliated with a national agricultural research program or university in the eligible countries. The Fund supports travel, accommodation, stipend, and research costs. The application deadline is 31 March 2015

OTHER 

Awards for African Conservation
The Tusk Conservation Awards highlight achievements of individuals working for conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa is awarded to a distinguished individual for exceptional contribution over a minimum of ten years. The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa is awarded to an individual with a minimum of five years’ experience who has demonstrated a considerable commitment to conservation, and who has already made a significant impact. In both categories, the winner receives a trophy and a grant to support further work. The deadline for nominations is 06 February 2015.

Private Enterprise Development
UK Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) and the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) jointly sponsor research on Private Enterprise Development in Low-Income Countries (PEDL). PEDL encourages proposals which address cross-cutting issues such as climate, environment, and social compliance -- among others. Major Research Grants average about £300 thousand for up to three years. The deadline for submissions is 13 April 2015.