2009-2010 Global Programme on Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) - Component 1 - Research and Technology
Background
IMPORTANT : DEADLINE = 6 NOVEMBER 2009
Related Countries:
EU, Southeast Asia, Asia in general
Agriculture Research for Development (ARD) is a multi-dimensional research that addresses the agricultural development challenges of developing and emerging countries. The agricultural domain includes crop production and animal husbandry, agro-forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, agribusiness and related enterprises, animal and human health related issues, as well as the sustainable management of the natural sources on which farming depends and the socio-cultural and bio-diverse landscapes, food systems and ecologies in which it is embedded. ARD provides technological, economic and institutional knowledge and innovations contributing to sustainable development. It encompasses research of national and international public goods, as well as research that yield private gains.
In the "Thematic Strategy Paper" and the "Multi-annual Indicative Programme 2007-2010" (http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/finance/dci/food_en.htm) of the Food Security Thematic Programme (FSTP), and in particular its strategic priority 1 on research and technology, the EC recognises the importance of investing in the provision of international public goods contributing to food security and in particular in the field of research and technology. As defined by the International Task Force on Global Public Goods, international public goods address issues that: i) are important to the international community, ii) cannot, or will not, be adequately addressed by individual countries acting alone, and therefore iii) are addressed collectively on a multilateral basis, by both developed and developing countries.
The Multi-annual Indicative Programme's component on research and technology has two dimensions or subcomponents: (i) Global, which builds on a long-established cooperation with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research for Development (CGIAR), and opens up to new global partners to improve outreach and the impact of research and (ii) Continental or Sub-regional.
Objectives of the programme and priority issues
Objectives of the Research and Technology / Global Subcomponent
The present action is specifically related to the FSTP component "Supporting the delivery of international public goods contributing to food security: research and technology", subcomponent Global and is targeting global public goods in the field of agricultural research, to be provided by organisations other than Centres of the CGIAR. It is complementary to other actions of the FSTP as well as the Framework Programme 7-Food, Agriculture, Fisheries, and Biotechnology Thematic (FP7-FAFB) of the EC, as well as to actions of EU member states.
Overall objective:
The overall objective of the programme is agricultural innovation for smallholder farmers in developing countries for food security, in the context of impact and adaptation to climate change and in favour of economic development.
a) Priorities and objectives:
Each proposal should address one of the six priorities of this programme:
1. "Conservation agriculture" (based on Agro-ecology) to combat land degradation in dry land areas: increase productivity based on improved soil fertility and more efficient use of labour and other resources;
2. Innovation systems involving smallholder farmers and traditional knowledge in developing countries: improve productivity through better use of knowledge by smallholder farmers;
3. Empowering smallholder farmers in the access to markets: enable farmers to generate cash income from selling produce at markets leading to greater stability of income and increased agricultural production diversity;
4. Risk management in family agriculture in developing countries: make farmers less vulnerable to disaster through improved management of risks at local and regional levels;
5. Agricultural diversification (high value crops, organic agriculture, and underutilized species): increase farmer income and improve food security through the introduction of high-value crops;
6. Control of endemic neglected diseases and zoonoses affecting livestock production and human health in developing countries: improvement and/or development of new and more effective tools.
In addition to the overall objective of the programme defined above, each proposal should address all the following objectives unless duly justified:
All proposals should clearly explain how the actions of applied research proposed would contribute to the Call objectives, and address the priority under which they are proposed. The specific needs and impacts on the countries/regions chosen for implementation and dissemination should be demonstrated.
b) Expected results:
As explained in more length in the guidelines on ARD issued by the EC services in 2008[1], each project should provide (totally or partially) the following expected results:
· Global public goods in the field of agricultural research delivered and applied in relevant context in at least 3 developing countries;
· Pro-poor scientific, technological innovations and policies options delivered;
· Understanding of major cross-cutting issues affecting food security – Climate change is particularly relevant to this programme but also gender, good governance, human rights, HIV/AIDS and environmental sustainability enhanced;
· New and sustainable south/south and north/south partnerships between research organisations and other organisations created;
· Link between agricultural research and extension programmes, research capacity and institution building, responding to beneficiaries’ needs developed and enhanced;
· Active participation of low-income smallholder farmers, as the main beneficiary, as well as other civil society and private actors, in research/extension programmes and policy dialogue on food security issues enhanced; exchange of information, experience and knowledge, through scientific and producers' associations networks and (multi)stakeholder platforms improved;
· Systematic introduction of an "innovation system approach" in ARD activities promoted;
· Development of the innovation capacities of ARD actors in developing countries lead to a better linkage between ARD activities supported by the EC and their rural development enhancing context promoted.
c) Indicators:
Actions will be selected, inter alia, on the basis of their expected results and potential effectiveness. Each proposal must therefore have its objectively verifiable indicators which should cover outputs, outcomes and impact. The indicators must be "SMART": Specific to the objective they are supposed to measure, Measurable (either quantitatively or qualitatively), Available at an acceptable cost, Relevant to the information needs of managers and Time-bound. The proposal should include a clear logframe and delivery strategy showing how the expected results will benefit the food insecure and how the project will contribute toward that outcome.
The major overall indicator of the programme is successfully completed research projects, with results disseminated and in use by the corresponding target group.
Further indicators will measure:
· Number of dissemination actions;
· Number of final research results and new technologies applicants;
· Number of interactions with policy makers, CSOs, the research community, farmers and other producer organisations and other stakeholders.
If relevant, other specific indicators may be added.
d) Partnership
Applicants having the nationality[2] of a beneficiary country of the action may act individually or in partnership as defined in section 2.1.2. However, priority will be given to actions where applicants act in partnership with at least another organisation. Applicants having the nationality of a European Economic Area (EEA) Member State[3] or of a country eligible under the reciprocal access rulesmust act in partnership with one or more local organisations having the nationality of each of the beneficiary countries where the action will be implemented.
Adherence to the minimum requirements regarding partnership will be assessed both at Concept Note and Full Application stage (see section 2.3 below – Concept Note evaluation grid, point 1.1 and Full application evaluation grid, point 3.4).
The overall amount made available under this Call for Proposals is EUR 5,000,000 from the 2009 budget, adopted by Commission Decision on 8th May 2009 as foreseen by the relevant financing decision (2009 Annual Action Programme for Food Security). Subject to the decision of the Budgetary Authority and subsequent Commission Decision, an additional amount in the order of EUR 18 000 000 will be allocated to this Call for Proposals from the 2010 budget.
Where the indicative financial envelope foreseen for this Call for Proposals cannot be used due to insufficient quality or number of proposals received, the Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award all available funds and to reallocate the remaining funds to another Call under the Development Cooperation Instrument. Similarly, remaining funds from other Calls under this instrument may be reallocated to the present Call.
Size of grants
Any grant awarded under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
Minimum amount: EUR 1,500,000
Maximum amount: EUR 3,000,000
Moreover, a grant may not exceed 90% of the total eligible costs of the project (see also Section 2.1.4). However, the maximum EC contribution may not exceed 50% of the total eligible costs of the project when the proposals are submitted by:
· Private sector organisations;
· Financial institutions that grant, promote and finance private investment in the partner countries and regions;
· Public and parastatal bodies, local authorities and consortium or association of Local Authorities, , having an eligible nationality (see section 2.1.1), other than those entities having the nationality of one of the possible beneficiary countries listed in Annex K and universities and research centres.
The balance (i.e. the difference between the total cost of the action and the amount requested from the EC) must be financed from the applicant's or partners' own resources or from sources other than the European Community budget or the European Development Fund.
In exceptional cases, full financing of the total eligible costs may be applied where such full financing is deemed essential to carry out the action in question. The Applicant must justify any such request in Part B, Section II.2 of the Grant Application Form and the validity of the justification provided will be examined during the evaluation procedure.
[2] Such nationality being determined on the basis of the organisation's statutes which should demonstrate that it has been established by an instrument governed by the internal law of the country concerned. In this respect, any legal entity whose statutes have been established in another country cannot be considered an eligible local organisation, even if they are registered locally or accompanied by a “Memorandum of Understanding”.
[3] The 27 EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
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