Call for Agricultural concept notes: Innovation Incubator Fund 2013

Deadline: 20 July 2013.

Farm Africa is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) that works in remote and resource-poor rural areas in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda to end hunger and bring prosperity to rural Africa.

Their vision is a prosperous rural Africa. We reduce poverty permanently by unleashing African farmers’ abilities to grow their incomes and manage their natural resources sustainably. We work with farmers, pastoralists, agro–pastoralists, smallholders, forest dwellers and other stakeholders to develop, test and support roll out of successful solutions to achieve long-term improvements in their lives.

Maendeleo Agricultural Enterprise Fund (MAEF) is a grant-making fund that aims to sustainably improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in East Africa by investing in innovative agri-business enterprises that seek to either create or adapt technologies for improving agricultural productivity, increasing profitability and linking smallholder farmers to viable, profitable and sustainable markets. Any of such entities as described in the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply. We address these through key themes in light of the changing global trends, communities felt needs and existing climatic and environmental challenges. MAEF will help promote successful solutions that improve livelihoods and increase resilience of vulnerable smallholder farmers.

The MAEF Innovation Incubator Fund is one of the MAEF’s funding streams that will provide small grants support to innovative agricultural ideas.This is a call for innovative ideas to incubate from MAEF’s Innovation Incubator Fund (IIF). The key focus is that it will lead to a proof of concept that has the potential to develop into successful, sustainable, scalable, replicable and viable commercial businesses that would profit and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the East Africa region.

Philosophy of the MAEF Innovation Incubator Fund

The Innovation Incubator Fund will invest in innovative ideas with recognised potential at an early stage. It will help grantees to refine and strengthen their ideas and, where appropriate test their modifications/adaptations at a limited scale (a few farmers groups with about 100 farmers). It will be a channel to promote and strengthen agricultural innovation and ‘Research and Development’ at the field level.
The Innovation Incubator Fund will further develop innovations that meet the priorities and needs of smallholder farmers.
It will fund project ideas for a period of 12 to 18 months. The funding grant level is GBP13,650.
Farm Africa’s MAEF team will guide and monitor the project development and build the capacity of grantees. At the end of the grant period, the grantees will have a fully developed proposal and will be in a stronger position to apply for further funding to implement their approach from MAEF’s Competitive Value Chain Fund and other grant-making organisations / financing institutions.

  

Eligibility

1. Country and geographical focus: This application is open to applicants operating within the specified regions of East Africa that is Kenya (Central and Nairobi Counties), Uganda (Central and peri-urban Kampala regions) and Tanzania (Morogoro and Pwani Regions)
2. Applicants should have a track record in agricultural development and agri-business in those countries; have proven capacity to manage grant funds and fall under the categories as listed below

Category 1: Local non-governmental organisations (LNGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), farmer associations
Ideal requirements
For existing business entity: Applicant should provide:

• Evidence of an existing and ongoing innovative idea that can work with smallholder farmers.
• Evidence of how this grant will ensure full development of the idea to a proof of concept of an innovative business.

For non-existing business entity: Applicant should provide:

• Indication of supporting and working with smallholder farmers.
• Indication on how the applicant will work with private companies, SMEs, or business agencies to develop the idea further in order to support smallholder farmers

Category 2: Private companies (agri-business firms, small and medium enterprises -SMEs, cooperatives, farmer business agencies), academia, and research organisations and individuals
Applicant should provide:

• Clearly explained innovative idea and what the gaps are that once unlocked will support smallholder farmers profitably.
• Indication of some commercially sustainable and profitable relationship with smallholder farmers or groups.
• Indication of how this grant will help commercialise and sustain the business or develop a business plan with a fundable idea
• Evidence of working with farmer groups/CBOs that support and organise smallholder farmers in the supply chain to link up with either a company, business or an enterprise

3. Applicants should not have an ongoing Farm Africa funded project. The idea should be innovative with a potential for further development. They should demonstrate potential to form effective synergistic partnerships with technology innovators, researchers, business development service providers/or organisation, extension service providers and business firms such as financial institutions, quality assurance organisations, commodity processors and buyers where applicable.

 

 How to apply

Stage 1: Interested applicants should submit Concepts Notes on the Innovative Idea using the prescribed business plan template (Word)
Stage 2: Only successful applicants from stage 1 will be contacted.
Stage 3: For those who successfully go through stage 2, discussions and due diligence processes will follow.

Application deadline

The applications MUST be submitted by email to maef-info@farmafrica.org by 20 July 2013.
Successful applicants will be contacted by Farm Africa’s MAEF representative at each stage.

 Reblogged from Farm Africa's Website. Find the original post HERE
   

Young Agrirevolutionary:Turning a hobby to a profitable business

The tomato seedlings

Growing vegetables has been a hobby for many and one Andrew Kyuvi is no exception. For as long as he can remember he loved practicing it at his parents’ backyard with Kales (Sukuma Wiki) being his comfort zone as far as family consumption is concerned. Putting the hobby to commercial practice was his weakest part. 

He happened to attend a motivating seminar at a local church where the speaker talked of converting liabilities to assets. After considerable thinking, he decided to take the challenge and act on the available idle land and his free time after office hours.

He settled on organic farming with tomato growing for the start after acquiring the most essential tools:-

·         3000 Ltr water tank (Ksh 20,000.00)

·         1200 Mtr Drip irrigation water pipes (Ksh 15,000.00)

·         Assorted seeds (Ksh 7,000.00)

·         Land preparation and consultancy (Ksh 15,000.00)

The benefits of Tomatoes

Tomato is a known source for vitamin A, C and minerals Iron, Calcium, phosphorus and carbohydrates. The fruit has multiple medicinal values as a gentle stimulant for kidneys, washing off toxins that contaminate the body system. Men can consume raw tomatoes for prevention of prostate cancer. A single tomato tree grown in good fertile soil can bear more fruits than an average family can eat in 3 months

Factors to consider

Growing tomatoes has a lot to do with liking what someone does just as the seed hit the ground. But, the rest has to do with good seeds, plenty of well oxygenated water, and love for both the plants and the job.

“We have many varieties of hybrid tomato seeds in the market and making the selection determines a lot on the output” he advices.

 It’s worth the while for potential farmers to always remember that “Cheap is expensive” when making the selection. Professionalism is very vital at this stage even if it means paying for consultation. They should avoid cheap varieties for they tend to be less resistance to most of the tomato farming challenges.

Other factors to consider when choosing a variety are the market demand and the shelf life. Cal-J is one of the tomato varieties preferred by farmers because of its high market demand and ability to stay for up to 14 days after harvest before rotting.

It’s important to note that tomatoes prefer well drained soils, good amount of calcium and potassium and organic matter with a pH of between 5 and 7.5. They also prefer warm temperatures especially when ripening as well as reduced disease and pest infestation. 

The water tank

All was set to go. He used the open space farming, planted the seeds and watered them at least after every two days and once a week with some organic liquid fertilizer. Within three weeks, they were ready for transplanting. He made sure the soil was well attended to by use of chicken organic waste as manure. No major challenges like pests and diseases attacked his crops which he attributed to the fact that within the locality there were no similar crops hence the absence of both airborne pests and diseases. More so, he gave Organic Weed Control a try where he came to realize that crops like Dhania are able to control insects before they fully attack your cops. In addition, cover crops help a great deal in improving soil structure. This in the long run is advantageous compared to chemical fertilizers.

New Information gap

From his research on the internet, he learnt that the organic farming area needs to be kept free from all types of pesticides and maintaining the soil healthy by using your own compost as fertilizer is the easiest way to do it. When you don’t put lots of fertilizers into the soil, your plants grow as they should and not at hyper speeds which in turn keeps off insects as less nitrogen is released. Healthy soil encourages the development of healthy plants which can withstand the minor damages of pests if they do occur.

“Avoid accumulating large piles of mulch around the area by spreading it evenly around the plants and vegetables as too much mulch retains lots of water which in turn attracts insects and pests to the area” he advises

The tomato plant

After about 3 months the crop is ready for harvesting.Tomatoes have a ready market in Kenya. According to Kyuvi, wholesalers market prefers non greenhouse products which he believes it’s due to the longer shelf life. The best price to the farmer spans about a week after the rains fall and tomatoes grown by irrigation tend to dry when rained on. Wholesalers come for the crop from the source unlike some other crops where you have to look for market vigorously and not forgetting the profits which are quite encouraging.

Record keeping is also vital for modern farming. This helps correct any wrong timing for planting, harvesting and helps the farmer calculate his profits or losses.

To be a good farmer, one needs to regularly update himself/herself with new information on farming practices. Kyuvi does this by researching on the internet, seeking consultants’ advice and attending the annual Nairobi Trade Fair with a target in mind of what he wishes to learn from fellow farmers. After attending the last year’s fair, he has decided of expanding the crops variety to include cabbages, Dhania, and onions and keeping rabbits in the farms.

And with each dawn his spirit gets awakened as he finds farming quite an interesting activity. He sees no reason why the youths should not be part of the new global revolution that is farming. I couldn’t agree no more!

 Or do you personally see any?

Call for applications for poultry incubator loans

The Youth Enterprise Development Fund is providing youth with egg hatching incubators on credit. Young Kenyans aged 18-34 may apply as individuals or in groups.

Specifications of the Incubator

• Has a capacity to hatch 528 eggs
• Is a fully computerized automatic hatching machine
• Has a 95% hatching rate
• Automated temperature and humidity control
• Is capable of hatching all types of eggs
• Occupies little space (0.98 x 0.74 x 1.06M)

Benefits of the credit facility

• No interest will be charged on loan
• Friendlier repayment period and monthly instalments
• Warranty: 3 years for spare parts and 2 years on labour
• Marketing and linkages facilitation
• Training on handling of incubator at no extra cost
• Linkage to livestock extension officers/veterinarians

Loan details

Cost of Incubator	Sh. 198,600
Management fee: 5% (payable upfront)	Sh.     9,930
Loan amount:	Sh. 208,530
Monthly installment for a period of 36 months	Sh. 5,517 (Sh. 198,600÷36 months)

Grace period: 3 months

Mode of repayment: By direct deposit to the YEDF bank accounts quoting the code.

MPESA Service

Eligibility: The applying group/individual must:

• Have electricity and power back up in case of power outages
• In case of a group, 70% of members must be youth and all group officials must be 18-34 years
• Individual youth borrower must be 18-34 years.
• Show evidence of ability to raise 5% of the cost of the hatchery, to be paid upfront

Group applicants must submit:

• Duly filled  loan application form
• Group’s registration documents
• Copies of IDs for ALL the members
• Duly filled form by guarantors (details of acceptable guarantors is indicated  in the application form)
• Group minutes authorizing the application.
• Evidence of operating a group bank account for 3 months
• Extract of recent business records.

Individual applicants must submit:

• Duly filled  loan application form
• Copy (ies) of IDs for ALL the owner (s)

• Duly filled form by two guarantors(details of acceptable guarantors is indicated in the application form)

• Recent bank statement for those already in business and an extract of recent business records
• Or recent certified copies of bank statement for individual borrowers

Those already engaging in poultry production as well as those who are keen on undertaking the business are encouraged to apply.

For applications forms, click here .

Find the original post here  www.youthfund.go.ke/index.php/downloads/cat_view/55-incubator-loan-application-forms

Investing in Agriculture Future Agricultures Media Competition 2013

Future Agricultures Media Competition 2013

Deadline: 8th February 2012

The Future Agricultures Consortium and PLAAS are inviting journalists and media specialists to enter a competition for reporting on the politics and processes that influence agricultural investment in Africa.

The entry deadline is 8 February 2013 and the winners will be supported to attend our major conference on the Political economy of agricultural policy in Africa, which takes place in South Africa in March 2013.

• Download the details: Future Agricultures 2013 African media competition (pdf, 502kb)

Applicants must submit their entry in English only by email to b.ouma@future-agricultures.org. Your journalistic piece must reach the organisers by no later than 8 February 2013 to be considered for inclusion in the competition.

Winning entries

The best print and best audio journalistic piece will be selected using established criteria. The top two finalists will be announced on 1 March 2013 by email or phone. These two finalists will be fully supported (flights, visa and accommodation) to attend the international conference on “Political Economy of Agricultural Policy in Africa” in South Africa, hosted by Future Agricultures and the Institute of Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS). Winners will each be presented with a certificate of recognition during the conference. In addition, the finalists will be invited to attend the launch of FAC Africa.

Besides the winning entries, the top 10 selected pieces will be published and promoted regionally, internationally and on the FAC website.

Competition themes

This media competition aims to encourage journalists and media specialists to explore some of the factors that determine agricultural investment patterns in Africa.

Providing case studies and evidence from your home country, your journalistic piece should correspond to one of the following themes:

• Investing in agriculture: Only a few countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Malawi) have met the Maputo declaration commitment to invest 10 percent GDP in agriculture. With agriculture the backbone of the African economy, why is it that African governments do not invest more in agriculture for the benefit of their economies?
  
  What are the political pressures leading African governments to increase investment in agricultural development? Do these favour smallholder agriculture or large-scale farming, food staples or export crops, state-led or private sector-led models, investment in public goods or transfers (such as subsidies)?

• Influencing policy - the role of civil society: How can a civil society organisation have an influence on agricultural policy making?
  
  Using one or more examples, explore how CSOs can be effective in getting issues onto the policy agenda, influencing how policies are shaped (either from an external position, or by being involved in the policy making process), and/or how they can assist in making sure that policies are properly enacted on the ground. What are the key strategies for CSOs in being effective in influencing policy; why do they succeed or fail?

• BRICS investment in Africa: How are investments from China and Brazil and other ‘rising powers’ having an impact on African agriculture? And what impact will they have in the future?
  
  What investments are Brazil and China making in agricultural production systems in Africa? What is their scale, nature (public and private) and focus? Are these investments supporting pro-poor development, and if not, how should governments respond to this?

Conditions of entry

Each candidate will submit only one print (in Word doc or docx format) or audio piece (in mp3 format) from any African country. Any accompanying photos for print articles should be sent as jpegs. The title and the name of the author should be clearly written on the cover page to the piece, or details included in email with audio piece. Thedeadline for receipt of submissions is 8 February, 2013.

Note: if you have difficulty submitting your audio piece by email, you can use YouSendit (www.yousendit.com) or a similar free internet service.

All applications should submit a short biographical note including name and full contact details; email address, telephone number(s), postal address, town, country, and a scanned photocopy of the applicant’s passport. Entries received after 8 February will not be considered. Notification of approved selections will be announced on 1 March 2013.

Selection process

A panel of judges from the Future Agricultures Consortium, WRENmedia, and Nick Perkins, Scidev.Net director will review entries and make their recommendations to the Steering Committee for the Conference.

The pieces should demonstrate that the author(s) understand the issues outlined above.

The main selection criteria for the pieces are:

• Originality and quality of analysis;
• Creativity (use of relevant case studies and examples to illustrate the issues);
• Relevance and responsiveness to development challenges;
• Quality of language (engaging writing style, good spelling and grammar, etc.);
• Presence of bibliography and/or other relevant references;
• Respect of the prescribed format:

Number of words/duration:

Print: max 1,200 words.
Audio pieces should not exceed 5 minutes.

Print format:

• Font : Arial size 11 - Line spacing: 1.5
• NB: If an entry has already been published or broadcast, the date of publication/broadcast must be included on the submission. Only original pieces that have been prepared after the announcement of this call will be considered.

Additional rules

• FAC reserves the right to disqualify any entry if it does not meet the contest criteria and present regulations.
• By entering, participants warrant that their print/audio materials are original and do not infringe on any third party's rights;
• Entry to the contest constitutes an agreement to allow FAC to make articles/audio pieces, name, occupation and state of residence of applicants, public;
• In addition it constitutes an agreement to allow FAC to use the material in its publications and in the framework of promotional activities. Applicants will retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their texts;
• FAC will not be able to return submitted articles/audio to their authors;
• If, for any reason, the competition is not completed as planned, FAC reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend it;
• The decisions made by the panel of judges are final and beyond dispute;
• All participants in this competition implicitly accept the rules presented in this document.

Email address for submissions:

b.ouma@future-agricultures.org

Download all these details as a PDF document:

Future Agricultures 2013 African media competition (pdf, 502kb)

Reblogged from  http://www.future-agricultures.org/media-comp-2013