Deadline: 14 June 2019
Announcement of regulations governing the funding of the research supporting the “WASCAL II –West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use” under the BMBF’s “Research for Sustainable Development” (FONA) framework programme.
WASCAL aims at becoming a regionally and internationally recognized science-based Climate and Environmental Services Centre (CESC) in West Africa to reduce the vulnerability and improve the livelihoods of present and future generations under the predicted climate change and variability conditions in the sub-region.
Therefore, the present call for proposals aims to build up and affirm WASCAL research niches by strengthening and consolidating the already existing partnerships with the German Research Community while boosting win-win collaborations with the West African National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) and Universities that will lead to demand-driven services that integrate CC & CV and natural environment-related issues. The ultimate aims are:
- reducing climate-induced risks,
- improving sustainable agricultural productivity,
- building resilient socio-ecological systems,
- fostering the emergence of improved smallholder livelihoods.
Priority Research Themes
The designated Priority Research Themes (PRTs) and the structure of these programs reflect WASCAL’s strategic goals for the next four years. The PRTs are composed as follows:
- Land use and Cover/Land Degradation/Climate Change Nexus
- Risks and Vulnerability to Climate Extremes
- Rural-urban and Cross Border Migration in West Africa
- Sustainable Agriculture/Climate Smart Landscapes Nexus.
WASCAL frames its research strategy on:
- partnering with national organizations and key stakeholders to devise adapted land use practices to cope with climate change and climate variability (CC & CV), building up resilient socio-ecological landscapes capable of delivering ecosystem services in addition to sustaining agricultural production
- setting up climate and environmental services that will help decision-makers in taking-better-informed decisions to boost the emergence of a new generation of resilient smallholder farmers.
Funding Information
As a rule, each institution in a WASCAL member country that is eligible for funding can apply in various research activities but receive up to a maximum € 500,000 for a maximum period of three years.
Criteria
- Funding is provided to institutions of higher education, non-university research institutions, governmental and non-governmental organisations with research and/or capacity development needs, international research partners, commercial companies headquartered in the WASCAL member countries Germany, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Cabo Verde (particularly small and medium-sized enterprises–SMEs), territorial authorities and associations, and any other institutions that contribute to research and comply with the purpose and prerequisites of funding.
- Research institutions that receive joint basic funding from the Federal Government of Germany and the Federal States of Germany (Bundesländer) can only be granted project funding supplementary to their basic funding to cover additional project-related expenditure under certain preconditions.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply online via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.wascal.org/special-pages/newsdetails/news/showNews/News/wascal_ii_research_call/
