Deadline: 01-Sep-2020
The Agropolis Foundation, in partnership with the Center for Synthesis and Analysis on Biodiversity (Cesab) Biodiversity Research Foundation (FRB) and the Biovision foundation has announced a call for proposals for 2020 “Innovative Co-Learning for Agriculture-based Solutions”, to support innovative, intersectoral and interdisciplinary training or learning projects that promote the agroecological transition through innovative approaches, tools, teams and networks.
Thematic Areas
The present Call covers the three crosscutting axes of the Foundation. Its generally broad scope is designed to generate proposals addressing the various themes identified under each of them and which are fully aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 12, 13 and 15.
- Axis 1: Agriculture and climate change: adaptation and mitigation: Under this axis, the aim is to understand the effects of climate change on agricultural systems (from genes to landscapes, from local to international levels, and from short-term to long-term) and to explore/propose adaptation strategies and mitigation measures. Among the key issues, the following themes may be the subject of research and training proposals:
- Interactive biotic and abiotic stresses on plants, animals and other living organisms, and risks associated with political, social and economic factors;
- Socio and agro-ecosystem co-viability and co-benefits, synergies, tensions, trade-offs;
- Vulnerability and resilience of territories: tools, practices, strategies, policies;
- Enhanced crop-livestock integration.
- Axis 2: Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity: Under this axis, the aim is to document and analyze the measures and policies that support the conservation, and promote sustainable use of biodiversity in various agroecosystems. Among the key issues, the following themes may be the subject of research and training proposals:
- The links between biophysical functions and biodiversity: study of the microbiota, crop associations, wild, domestic, improved and hybrid biodiversity, etc.;
- Agrobiodiversity through its ecological, economic and sociocultural functions;
- Studies including controlled conditions, field experiments and real agrosystems;
- Interactions between biodiversity, food security and plant health;
- Policies (from conservation to exploitation, from local to international scales) on practices and territories: land tenure, use and access rights, protected areas, sustainable use/management, biodiversity offset, Payment for Ecosystem Services, etc.
- Axis 3: Responsible production and consumption: Under this axis, the aim is to contribute in ensuring sustainable food systems by moving towards more responsible production and consumption. Among the key issues, the following themes may be the subject of research and training proposals:
- Food environments: food landscapes, food deserts, food swamps;
- Co-designing agro-ecosystems with stakeholders (e.g., farmers, policy-makers, experts, etc.);
- Governance of sustainable food systems (certification and quality of production, public regulations, role of companies, coordination of sectors);
- Bio-economy in circular economy in food and non-food systems, to include, among others efficient waste and resource management;
- Animal and/vs plant-based proteins (food transition);
- Innovation and socio-ecological transition.
Funding Information
- Up to 835k€ are available for this CfP, complemented by partial postdoc co-funding by FRB/Cesab (valued at 65k€) and by co-funding of two Summer/Winter/Thematic Schools by Biovision Foundation (valued at 20 k€).
- A submitted proposal must tackle at least one of the crosscutting axes.
- A submitted proposal must (a) choose just one type of action under this Call; (b) tackle the thematic coverage of the type of action for which funding is being applied for; and (c) meet the conditions specified for a given type of action.
- The lead proponent must be from one of the research units belonging to the Foundation’s scientific network (Labex Agro). The two “Summer/Winter/Thematic Schools” co-funded by Biovision Foundation must be co-submitted by an institution from Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Scientists from research units or institutions outside of the Foundation’s scientific network can participate as partners.
- A scientist can coordinate only one project funded under this specific CfP.
For more information, visit https://www.agropolis-fondation.fr/Innovative-Co-Learning-for-Agriculture-based-Solutions