The "Accelerating inclusive green growth through agro-based digital innovation in West Africa (AGriDI)" initiative has launched a second call for proposals to support innovations that address key challenges related to climate change, the sustainable use and management of biodiversity, as well as responsible production and consumption among farming communities in West Africa.

As with the first call for proposals, AGriDI's second call for proposals, aimed at ECOWAS countries, will provide competitive grants to improve the capacities of key stakeholders in various areas of digital technologies and agro-ecological systems and strengthen synergies with the private sector, the civil society and other community-based organisations. Donations support the development of tangible digital solutions that address real challenges for farmers and agribusinesses, especially among women e young peopleThis will increase employment and income opportunities in the region.

Purpose

• Category 1: Digital innovations to increase agricultural productivity
  • Supporting the co-development and adaptation of innovative digital solutions to improve agricultural productivity.
• Category 2: Digital innovations for market connections
  • Supporting digital innovations to establish market links for farmers' produce.
• Category 3: Policies for digital innovation
  • Support the development of digital innovation policies.

Area(s) of Expertise

• Category 1: Digital innovations to increase agricultural productivity
  • Digital solutions to resolve bottlenecks in agricultural production:
  • Animal protection/defence, e.g. management of pests and diseases of national and regional importance.
  • Geoinformation tools, such as for mapping soils and agroecological conditions
  • Weather and climate information, including to support crop insurance solutions
  • Other relevant applications that support the increase in national agricultural productivity.
• Category 2: Digital innovations for market connections
  • Digital solutions to improve effective links with the market.
• Category 3: Policies for digital innovation
  • Analyses and policy development, such as analysing and designing incentives for digital innovations, intellectual property, cybersecurity, data management and privacy issues, among others, leading to improved policies.

Subsidy categories

• Grants for the co-development and adaptation of innovative digital solutions to increase agricultural productivity.
• Grants for innovative digital solutions to establish market links for farmers' products.
• Subsidies for the development of policies to support digital innovation.

Information on financing

• The total envelope for this call is up to 663,809.72 euros. A maximum of 3 (three) to 4 (four) grants are planned, depending on the category. Each subsidy The programme is implemented for a maximum period of 15 months from the date of award. The funds are awarded in three categories of grants:
• Grant budget per project: EUR 150,000 - 300,000
• Category 1: Digital innovations to increase agricultural productivity
  • Minimum EUR 150,000 and maximum EUR 300,000
• Category 2: Digital innovations for market connections
  • Minimum EUR 150,000 and maximum EUR 222,500
• Category 3: Policies for digital innovation
  • Minimum EUR 150,000 and maximum EUR 160,000

Target groups

• The target groups for this call are:
  • scientists and researchers at universities and research;
  • owners of agribusiness and owners of legally incorporated small and medium-sized businesses;
  • innovators in technology centres, innovation laboratories and university technology transfer offices;
  • policy-makers in national government ministries, departments and agencies responsible for creating an environment politicians favourable to the promotion of digital innovations, including those responsible for rural development, gender and social inclusion;
  • farmers from legally registered groups and cooperatives based in the eligible countries. The call encourages the participation of women and young people, organisations and individuals (scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, political actors, among others) from organisations in other parts of Africa and globally can also participate in the call. However, they can ONLY participate as 'collaborators' in a project. A collaborator brings a specific skill or expertise to implement specific activities in a project. Collaborators must be described in the proposal, and their role and contribution to the project must be clearly articulated.

Desired results

• AGriDI has three main objectives:
  • greater acceptance of digital agricultural technologies by farmers and SMEs, especially women and young people in West Africa;
  • strengthened links between research communities, industry and policy actors in digital innovations in the region, and
  • a strengthened political environment to scale up digital agribusiness innovations in the region.

Eligible countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone e Togo.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for funding, the applicant must:
  • Be a legal entity established at least since 2019 in one of the eligible countries in the ECOWAS region, West Africa.
  • Have directly implemented research and innovation projects with the following characteristics;
  • at least two grants for research and innovation activities of more than EUR 75 000 each during the last two years (2019-2023) and
  • be directly responsible for preparing and managing the activities proposed for funding.
  • Be directly responsible for the preparation, management and implementation of the proposal, including joint activities with the beneficiaries.
  • Applicants can also include other legally established organisations or individuals and list them as "collaborators", also known as "co-applicants", in the proposal. The role and contribution of collaborators must be clearly described in the proposal. Collaborators or co-applicants must work in West Africa. Collaborators will receive funds directly from Applicants, who are responsible for accountability. In addition, collaborators or co-applicants may not necessarily meet the eligibility criteria outlined in section 5 (i and ii). If awarded, the Applicant will have fiduciary responsibility for the Project.
  • Submit a maximum of one proposal per grant category, but no more than one grant will be awarded in total.

Eligible candidates

• Category 1: Digital innovations to increase agricultural productivity
  • Universities or research institutions (Target group: Scientists or researchers)
  • Technology hubs, innovation centres and technology transfer offices (Target group: Innovators)
• Category 2: Digital innovations for market connections
  • Legally registered private companies, especially small and medium-sized ICT SMEs, agriculture(Target group: Business owners and SME owners)
  • Cooperatives or legally registered farmer groups (Target group: Farmer groups)
• Category 3: Policies for digital innovation
  • Government ministries, departments and agencies/commissions responsible for ICT policies, science(Target group: Policy makers)

For more information, visit AGriDI.