Call for Proposals: Support for the Development of Sustainable Agri-food Value Chains – Republic of Congo

Deadline: 30-Jan-24

The European Commission has announced a call for proposals to support the development of sustainable agri-food value chains.

The program to support the green economic transition and improvement of the business climate in the Republic of Congo (PATEV), financed by the European Union, aims to support socio-economic development and creation of decent jobs as well as sustainable livelihoods in the Republic of Congo.

Objectives

• The general objective of this call for proposals is as follows:
  • Support agri-food production in the Republic of Congo through the development of chains of priority agri-food values anchored in sustainable methods and practices (“green” approaches, short and circular circuits, adaptation to climate change, agroecology, zero deforestation) and based on an improvement in their quality and competitiveness, integrating economically in particular young people, women and vulnerable parts of the population, as well as reducing dependence on countries importing food products and contributing to the transition towards a diversified economy and green.
• The specific objectives of this call for proposals are as follows:
  • The capacities of family farms and their professional organizations are strengthened within priority agricultural value chains, so as to enable better productivity, competitiveness as well as an increase in agri-food production in line with the needs of the market, thanks to more productive, sustainable and adapted production methods climate change (climate-smart, zero-deforestation, agro-ecological approach, such as agroforestry, sustainable land use, rational use of agricultural inputs, utilization renewable energies, valorization of by-products, waste and wastewater treatment);
  • The artisanal and small processing and marketing capacities are strengthened within priority agri-food value chains, making it possible to increase the production and supply of quality agri-food products, of national origin, of high nutritional value consistent with the needs of the market, thanks in particular to the use of approaches and techniques of transformation and sustainable and more efficient packaging;
  • The structuring and organization of priority value chains are supported, developed and reinforced, with a “cluster” approach when relevant, based on better cooperation technical and economic between producers, processors and commercial actors, throughout the priority value chains aimed at achieving increased efficiency, synergies in projects common resources and a more equitable distribution of income by type of actor.

Priorities

The priorities of this call for proposals are as follows:

• Target the majority of development efforts on the most important agri-food value chains significant in terms of volume of urban consumption, development potential, coverage of nutritional needs, and potential for the creation of livelihoods (‘livelihoods’) as well as decent jobs and the importance for rural development, thus contributing to reduce Congo’s food dependence and improve food security. Value chains priority agri-food sectors for this call for proposals must be found in a broad sense in the subsectors (i) crop production, (ii) livestock, (iii) fish farming and inland fishing.
• Promote the development of more productive and sustainable agri-food systems (in the broad sense), allowing in particular to systematically avoid extensification to the detriment of forest areas primary crops such as itinerant agriculture through clearing and burning, with particular emphasis on development of agricultural operations using a “zero deforestation” agroecological approach in savannah zones, and on reducing pressure on primary forest ecosystems by developing notably sustainable proteins alternatives to bushmeat (and fish) from hunting (and fishing) unsustainable.
• Take advantage of the experience acquired within the framework of PRCCE 2, and when this is deemed relevant (on the basis of an assessment of capacities, needs and motivation), take into account “clusters” which are supported by this EU project in order to facilitate the continued support of these actors and the consolidation, extension and sustainability of their activities;
• Complement efforts for the development of sustainable livelihoods of local populations and indigenous people in the peripheries of national parks through the implementation of activities development of sustainable agri-food systems (in synergy and coordination with the management of park concerned and community development plans), in order to alleviate pressure on primary forest ecosystems resulting in particular from poaching, hunting and unsustainable fishing.
• Aim for integrated approaches, responding to several challenges and contributing to several objectives of sustainable development at the same time; and promote synergies and ensure good coordination between the different programs and projects operating in the action areas, in particular: the program of Sustainable Land Use (PUDT) co-financed by the EU and AFD as part of the initiative for Central African Forest (CAFI); the national component of the NaturAfrica multi-country program (support for national parks of Odzala-Kokoua, Nouabalé-Ndoki, and Conkouati-Douli), the EU program for renewable energies and rural electrification, and the various rural development projects and agri-food co-financed by the various TFPs (in particular by the World Bank and the AFD).

Lots

This call for proposals includes two lots defined on a geographical basis, according to the provisions following:

• Lot 1 – Southern Congo Zone: Departments of Kouilou, Niari, Lekoumou, Bouenza and of the Pool, with an emphasis on the production basins and zones of influence of the cities of Brazzaville and Pointe Noire;
• Lot 2 – Northern and Central Zones of Congo: Departments of Cuvette, Cuvette Ouest, Plateaux, Sangha and Likouala, with emphasis on production basins and areas of influence of the main cities.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals amounts to 6 million euros. The contracting authority reserves the right not to allocate all available funds.
• Amount of grants:
  • Lot 1
    • Minimum amount: 2 million EUR
    • Maximum amount: 4 million EUR
  • Lot 2
    • Minimum amount: 1 million EUR
    • Maximum amount: 2 million EUR

Duration

• The initial planned duration of the action for each of the lots cannot be less than 30 months nor exceed 60 months.

Place of execution

• The action is implemented in the Republic of Congo, with a geographical distribution into two lots.

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant
  • To qualify for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal entity, and
    • have no profit motive, and
    • be a non-governmental organization, and
    • be established in a Member State of the European Union or in the Central Africa region, and
    • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and the affiliated entity(ies) and not act as an intermediary.
  • Applicants cannot participate in calls for proposals, nor be beneficiaries of a grant.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • Co-applicants participate in the development and implementation of the action, and the costs they bear are eligible in the same way as those supported by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must meet the same eligibility criteria as those that apply to the lead applicant itself.
  • If the grant is awarded to them, possible co-applicants become beneficiaries within the framework of the action (with the coordinator).
• Affiliated entities
  • The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
  • Only the following entities may be considered affiliated with the lead applicant and/or the co-applicant(s):
    • Only entities that have a structural link with the applicants (the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
    • This structural link mainly encompasses two notions:
      • Control, within the meaning of Directive 2013/34/EU on annual financial statements, of the financial statements consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain forms of business.
      • Entities affiliated with an applicant can therefore be:
        • Entities controlled directly or indirectly by the applicant (subsidiaries or first-tier subsidiaries) or controlled by an entity itself controlled by the applicant (sub-subsidiaries or second-level subsidiaries).
        • This is valid for the other control levels;
        • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, he can be entities controlling a company controlling the applicant;
        • entities at the same level of direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies);
      • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as, for example, a network, a federation or association of which the proposed affiliated entity is a member, or the applicant is a member of the same entity (for example, a network, a federation or an association, etc.) as the proposed affiliated entity.

For more information, visit European Commission.