Deadline: 24 October 2016
The Austrian Development Corporation (ADC), Armenia, is currently seeking proposals for its programme entitled- Small Farmer Support (SFS) Programme, under Organic Agriculture Support Initiative (OASI).
The OASI, funded by the European Union, co-funded and implemented by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), has a specific objective of increasing the local value added of the Armenian organic farmers and processors, as well as enhancing the efficiency of relevant public and private sector institutions. Within the scope of OASI, support for famers, farmer groups, cooperatives, processing units as well as other actors along the value chain was addressed through a targeted Grant Scheme.
Further support to smallholder farmers and small-scale processors will be provided in a form of agricultural input supplies and basic equipment. The successful applicants will also be involved in the capacity building and marketing initiatives of OASI, ensuring their organic business projects to have a successful start and progress.
Objectives
The SFS programme is looking for projects that can potentially contribute to at least any 3 of the below mentioned objectives:
- Strengthen the capacities of smallholder farmers and/or small-scale processors.
- Increase income of smallholder farmers and/or small-scale processors.
- Increase areas of the organic certified land.
- Diversify organic certified production and produce.
- Demonstrate replicable and sustainable organic agricultural practices.
- Enhance production of organic fruits, vegetables, and/or collection of wild herbs and berries (in compliance with environmentally safe practices) as a supply for organic certified processing.
- Enhance production of organic supplies (seeds, saplings, fertilizers, apiculture products etc.) for supporting organic producers and processors.
- Increase organic yields and processed organic products.
- Increase exports of certified organic products.
- In addition, applications containing one or more below listed value-added elements will be given higher scores:
- Promotion of gender equality, youth and social inclusion and inclusion of people with disabilities.
- Promotion of energy efficiency and use of renewable energy.
- Promotion of environmental safety/sustainability in production, processing, transport, etc.
Award Criteria
- The money equivalent input supplies and basic equipment provided for each selected smallholder farmers and small-scale processors may not exceed EUR 10,000.
- Agricultural input supplies, basic equipment and tools will be provided based on the business needs defined by the applicant. These may include but are not limited to:
- Drip irrigation systems
- Cold storage
- Small greenhouses
- Anti-hail nets
- Packaging, labelling equipment, packaging boxes, etc.
- Small-scale processing equipment
- Electrical or natural fruit driers
- Replicable organic seeds/organic seedlings
- Organic saplings
- Agriculture work clothes
- Apiculture materials
- Other relevant agriculture inputs and basic equipment
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible for this call for applications the smallholder farmer or small-scale processor should:
- Be established/registered/residing in rural areas of Armenia.
- Have experience in farming for more than 3 years i.e. be engaged in agriculture production, processing and/or wild collection of herbs and berries at least in one of the value chains specified in the section above.
- Have access (own, rent, etc.) to an agricultural and/or processing site that potentially can comply with the organic certification requirements.
- Be producing according to organic farming practices OR be committed to start applying them in his activities
- Be organic certified or committed to apply for organic certification in the course of the OASI.
- Be willing and able to pay organic certification fee for 3 years and beyond.
- Be able to present a simple, realistic and economically feasible business idea related to organic agriculture.
- Be open and willing to share experience and learnings with other farmers.
- Women and young farmers, farmers from economically and socially disadvantaged groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Interested applicants must download the application form available on the website.
Eligible Country: Armenia
For more information, please visit OASI.