Deadline: 29-Jan-24
The Open Society Foundation for Albania (OSFA), in cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana (MoT) and the Social Action and Innovation Centre (KMOP) is implementing the three-year project titled: “Inclusive EduJobs – Towards Context Relevant Policies and Services Enhancing Employability and Educational Outcomes of Roma and Egyptians in Albania”.
Lots
- Lot 1: Replication Phase 2: Sub-Grant to CSO to empower Egyptian farmers in Shushica, Elbasan Municipality by increasing employment sustainability and funding opportunities through the access to government funds for agricultural development
- Lot 2: Sub-Grants to CSO to support and empower Roma and Egyptian farmers in Vlora or Shkodra Municipality in order to improve farming activities and boosting employment and funding opportunities through the establishment of mini cooperatives.
Objectives
- Lot 1
- The global objective of this call for proposals is to continue and enhance the support for Egyptian farmers in Shushica, Elbasan Municipality, with the aim of increasing the employment sustainability through the creation of new workplaces within the local agricultural cooperation established in the pilot phase in Shushica.
- To further enhance the accomplishments of the initial phase, the aim is to extend financial support to Egyptian farmers in Shushica, Elbasan, by strengthening their capacities to effectively access government agricultural support schemes and attain increased farming productivity and economic self-sufficiency
- The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals is/are:
- Continue improving the operational capacities of the de-facto established agricultural cooperation;
- Further developing the professional and entrepreneurial capacities of the Egyptian farmers;
- Increase the capacities of local farmers in Shushica to access national public funding to improve agricultural infrastructure;
- Facilitate the creation of sustainable business linkages along value chains to support market access.
- Lot 2
- The global objective of this call for proposals is: Improving Roma and Egyptian farmers agricultural activity by generating new Roma and Egyptian farmers employments and potentially small farming cooperatives in Vlora or Shkodra Municipality.
- The specific objectives of this call for proposals are:
- Upgrade the professional and entrepreneurial capacities of farmers;
- Increase financing opportunities of farmers through improved capacities in applying for national agricultural financing schemes;
- Facilitate the creation of sustainable business linkages along VCs to support market access;
- Support collaboration in farmer unions (cooperatives) and VC-based networks whether organized as associations or other types of alliances interested in supporting VC development.
Sectors or Themes
- Farming
Priorities
- Lot 1
- A Value Chain approach in refining agricultural opportunities;
- Cooperated production and sales plan to improve professional capabilities of farmers and the competitiveness of their products;
- Capacity building activities to increase financing opportunity of farmers;
- Advisory services to facilitate the creation of sustainable business linkages;
- Advisory services to continue the support of Egyptian farmers for the collaboration within the de-facto established agricultural cooperation and Value Chain-based networks;
- Provide assistance and cover fully or partially sensitive costs of agricultural processes (inputs. etc) which would support Egyptian farmers within the (de-facto) established agricultural cooperation to improve the effectiveness of the agricultural economic activity.
- Lot 2
- Advisory services to secure the ownership of the land;
- A Value Chain approach in identifying agricultural opportunities;
- Capacity building activities to improve professional and entrepreneurial capabilities of farmers and the competitiveness of products;
- Capacity building activities to increase financing opportunity of farmers;
- Advisory services to facilitate the creation of sustainable business linkages;
- Advisory services to support collaboration in farmer unions (mini cooperatives) and VC-based networks;
- Provide assistance and cover fully or partially sensitive costs of agricultural process (inputs. etc) which would help Roma and Egyptian farmers to improve the effectiveness of the agricultural economic activity.
Funding Information
- Lot 1
- Indicative Budget available for this lot: EUR 30,000
- Minimum amount: EUR 30,000
- Maximum amount: EUR 30,000
- Duration
- Minimum: 12 months
- Maximum: 12 months
- Lot 2
- Indicative Budget available for this lot: EUR 30,000
- Minimum amount: EUR 30,000
- Maximum amount: EUR 30,000
- Duration
- Minimum: 12 months
- Maximum: 12 months
Expected Results
- Lot 1
- Individuals employed in farming from the first phase receive renewed support for their agricultural initiatives;
- Enhanced productive and financial performance of the established agricultural cooperation;
- Increased employability of Egyptian farmers in Shushica;
- Increased capacities of employed Egyptian individuals in farming;
- Increased income of employed Egyptian individuals in farming.
- Increased self-generated income of Egyptian farmers
- Lot 2
- Minimum 25 R/E individuals employed in farming, of which at least 20% are women;
- Increased capacities of employed R/E individuals in farming;
- Increased income of employed R/E individuals in farming.
Performance Indicators
- Lot 1
- At least 30 employed Egyptian farmers (gender disaggregated) who continue to receive support from the sub-granting scheme;
- Number of farmers who confirm additional diversified income activities (e.g. processing, direct marketing of agricultural products)
- Number of farmers who confirm that the services and trainings have enabled them to improve their competitiveness in 4 of the following categories: (i) expansion of product range or services, (ii) improvement of product quality, (iii) acquisition of new customers or (iv) introduction of innovations.
- Number of farmers that have improved their capacity to apply for funding
- Lot 2
- Number of employed R/E farmers (gender disaggregated);
- Number of farmers who confirm additional diversified income activities (e.g. processing, direct marketing of agricultural products);
- Number of farmers who confirm that the services and trainings have enabled them to improve their competitiveness in 4 of the following categories: (i) expansion of product range or services, (ii) improvement of product quality, (iii) acquisition of new customers or (iv) introduction of innovations.
- Number of farmers that have improved capacity to apply for government funding.
Activities
- Lot 1
- Conduct community meetings with the local Egyptian farmers to gather information for impact assessment and knowledge exchange of the project “From Land to Market” (Phase 1);
- Refine the Value Chain (VC) analysis of the agricultural opportunities in the established agricultural cooperation and select value chains to be further promoted;
- Continue supporting the de-facto established agricultural cooperation by covering (fully or partially) sensitive costs of agricultural processes, i.e support agricultural production with seeds, fertilizers, seedlings, pesticides etc;
- Continue improving the professional and entrepreneurial capacities of farmers in Shushica;
- Undertake small-scale infrastructure investments, such as the establishment of greenhouses, to boost agricultural production within the established agricultural cooperation.
- Lot 2
- Identify and map Roma and Egyptian farmers in Vlora or Shkodra Municipality;
- Provide legal assistance to ensure full legal title part of the land;
- Support the establishment of a (de-facto) mini cooperative between local Roma and Egyptian farmers by reaching an agreement to unify the land;
- Prepare a Value Chain (VC) analysis of the agricultural opportunities in the area and select value chains to be promoted (the assessment according to a set of criteria confirming the relevance of commercial VC wheat and maize);
- Enhance the skills of farmers in areas such as agricultural practices, financial management and cooperative governance.
Location
- Actions must take place in Elbasan Municipality (Shushica) for Lot 1; and in Shkodra or Vlora Municipality for Lot 2.
Eligibility Criteria
- Lead applicant
- In order to be eligible for a sub-grant, the lead applicant must:
- be a non-governmental organization, civil society organization legally registered and operating in the territory of Albania;
- be non-profit making;
- be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) (if any), not acting as an intermediary;
- have previous experience (during the last three years) in implementing grants (at least one) in farming/ agriculture targeting Roma and Egyptians.
- In order to be eligible for a sub-grant, the lead applicant must:
- Co-applicant(s)
- Co-applicants must participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
- Co-applicant(s) must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself;
- Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
- Co-applicant(s) are not required to have direct experience with R/E community.
- Co-applicants must sign the Mandate Form.
- Co-applicants must participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
For more information, visit OSFA.