Deadline: 16-Dec-22
Proposals are now being accepted for the First Innovation Fund under Resilient Agriculture for Inclusive and Sustainable Food Systems (RAISE-FS) project.
Resilient Agriculture for Inclusive and Sustainable Food Systems (RAISE-FS), RAISE-FS is a project designed with the goal of creating evidence for practices that contribute to transformation of the food system by addressing leverage points in relation to productivity, enhanced value chain performance and improved human nutrition for improved food security while minimizing the impact on the environment and ensuring social inclusion.
Among its interventions is, a component on promoting private sector driven innovation via a grant scheme called the “Innovation Fund” that offers funding. These innovation projects are expected to address hindering challenges in various agricultural sub-sectors in Ethiopia while benefiting smallholder farmers, improve food systems and/or enhance export of selected commodities.
Objectives
- The objective of the Innovation Fund is to promote innovations in selected agricultural sub-sectors in Ethiopia that enhances export and benefit smallholder farmers, women & youth as well as food system improvement. The Innovation Fund will focus on innovations at all segments of value chain from production to marketing to consumers.
- The Innovation Fund runs from October 2022 to June 2025. It will provide financial and technical support to projects that support the objective of the Fund and that meet its criteria.
- The Innovation Fund is managed by the Resilient Agriculture for Inclusive and Sustainable Ethiopian Food Systems (RAISE-FS). RAISE-FS is implemented by Stitching Wageningen Research Ethiopia and funded by the Dutch Government.
What has the Innovation Fund to offer?
- The maximum amount of grant for Type A project is €50,000 per project while for Type B project it is €25,000. Fund disbursement will be carried out by means of flexible payment plan, based on decision by the Approval Committee and cash flow needs of the project. Different grant payment mechanisms such as direct financing, result based cost reimbursement, voucher and e-payment systems will be introduced depending on the project nature and financial requirement.
- Actively link applicant companies to other organizations (buyers, cooperatives, NGOs, research institutions, etc.).
- Inform applicant companies about latest technologies and developments via business platforms, personal meetings and Innovation Opportunity Reports.
Eligible Projects
- The Project should take place in the poultry, legumes, spices, oilseeds, potato or vegetables subsectors/commodities by focusing on, at least, one of the following domains: export enhancement, import substitution, food system improvement, climate resilience, smallholder farmers support and youth and women economic empowerment
- Projects should introduce new or improved products, services, technology, business models and/or service delivery models to Ethiopia.
- The project should directly or indirectly benefit smallholder farmers, women and youth
- Projects should be implemented within one year
Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant should be a registered company that is able to present a valid Ethiopian business license.
- Partnerships of multiple companies, NGOs, research institutions, etc. are allowed to submit an application, as long as this partnership consists of at least one registered and licensed company. In this case, (one of) the registered and licensed companies will be the applicant for the grant, and will be end-responsible for project implementation.
- Foreign companies without Ethiopian business license are only allowed to apply in partnership with a company that possesses an Ethiopian business license, which will be applicant and end-responsible for project implementation.
- Applicants can’t receive grant funding for more than one project at a time.
- Partner companies, NGOs, research institutions, etc. can be involved in more than one project at a time.
- Applicants should be willing to submit bi-annual progress updates, as well as host RAISE-FS staff on company premises before, during and after project evaluation and implementation.
For more information, visit https://raise-fs.org/2022/11/14/innovation-fund-1st-call-for-proposals/