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
   

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

Call For Applications: Innovation Prize for Africa 2013

 


 Deadline : 31st, October,2012 at 24:00 GMT


The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Innovation Foundation (AIF) are delighted to announce the call for applications for the 2013 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA). Too often, innovators and entrepreneurs are not highly profiled on the African development agenda. It is IPA’s mission to elevate attention around innovative work and help support the vision of entrepreneurs. The prize honours and encourages innovative achievements that contribute towards the development of new products, increased efficiency or cost savings in Africa. The prize also promotes the efforts of young African men and women pursuing science, technology and engineering careers as well as business opportunities that aim to contribute to sustainable development in Africa.
The goals of the 2013 Prize and expected outcomes can be found HERE.

The priority areas for the 2013 prize are :

1.Agriculture/agribusiness
 This priority recognizes innovations that have demonstrated a lead in the agricultural sector, particularly, value-added at specific points of the agricultural value-chain: production, distribution, marketing, branding, certification etc. This might include development and/or adoption of yield increasing technologies, promotion of high-value products (food staple crops, high-value crops, livestock, plant variety, fertilizers, breeds, pesticides); marketing practices (pre-production contracts, collective marketing), natural resource management techniques (conservation tillage, soil erosion controls, water harvesting), trial and introduction of new products or process production systems for non tradable and/or tradable food staples; diversification of the production systems etc. This might be applied to commercial and market oriented farmers as well as small-scale and, subsistence farmers etc.
2.Environment, Energy and Water
This priority recognizes innovative applications that have demonstrated a lead in developing or applying cost-effective, smart renewable energy generation processes, cleaner water supply systems etc. Devices, particles, methods, filter systems that can bind, crack down, remove or mitigate pollutants and/or improve environmental pollution control would be highly appreciated. Other expected outcomes include: water desalination, gas emission control, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, eco-efficient processes that abate the impact of industrial processes and products, optimization of the use of resources while minimizing waste.
3.Health and Wellbeing
This priority recognizes innovations that have demonstrated high impact or potential in improving the physical, mental, and social well-being of individuals or communities, through prevention, treatment etc. This might include the development and use of traditional and modern medicines, improved sanitation, hygiene, treating or preventing TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Diabetes, Hepatitis, High blood-pressure, Diarrhea, Cholera, infirmity, depression or other physical and mental illnesses.     
4.Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) Manufacturing and Service Industry
 This priority recognizes innovative ICTs applications that have demonstrated their potential in addressing key development challenges in African societies (e.g. in communities) or economy, including:
- Software (application development, software design and development, enterprise application development, or platform development) and may include new development, or any other activities that result in software products for addressing a key development challenge.
- Mobile/Wireless Technologies that demonstrate how underprivileged people can use devices for social and economic benefits with the possibility to spawn micro-enterprises and generate employment.
- Local Language Software known as "localisation" requires definition and implementation of standards. These standards include character set encoding, keyboard (and keypad) layouts, collation/sorting sequence, locale and ICT terminology. In addition to definition of standards, applications also need to be developed for local language computing to support access and generation of local language content.
5.Manufacturing and Service Industry
This priority calls for applications that have demonstrated a lead on addressing the key pillars of innovation in production technology/industry: creating high added-value, greener, more customer-focused and/or high quality products; manufacturing more with less input materials, using lowest energy and creating fewest or zero waste. Innovations that promote the adoption of cleaner, sustainable practices, changing from a resource-intensive to a knowledge-based approach, best ever turnaround times, smooth relationship with suppliers and customers, and which demonstrate greater potential for wider product range would be highly regarded. 

Further information about How To Apply and the Criteria For Entry can be found on the original post of the website   at  http://innovationprizeforafrica.org/

Call for Applications for AWARD Fellowships 2012

AWARD is a professional development program that strengthens the research and leadership skills of African women in agricultural science, empowering them to contribute more effectively to poverty alleviation and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. AWARD is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development.
AWARD offers two-year fellowships that include a series of career development resources to;

• establish a mentorship for each fellow with a senior scientist
• build science skills
• develop leadership capacity

AWARD holds training courses in various locations in Africa during the two-year program and covers fellows’ travel costs to attend.

Eligibility

Women agricultural scientists who are nationals of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, or Zambia, who have completed a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, particularly in the disciplines listed below, are eligible to apply. There is no age restriction.

Agricultural economics,Agricultural engineering, Agronomy, Animal and livestock sciences, Aquatic resources and fisheries,  Biodiversity conservation,Crop sciences, Ecology, Entomology,Extension education, Food sciences and nutrition, Forestry and agroforestry, Horticulture, Molecular biology(plant/animal breeding), Natural resources management,Plant/Animal/virology, Soil sciences,Veterinary sciences, Water and irrigation management. 

Applications received after the deadline and incomplete applications will NOT be accepted.
Selected fellows will be notified in mid-December, 2012.
Successful candidates must be available to attend one of three five-day Mentoring Orientation Workshops to be held in February and March 2013 in Kenya. Dates to be announced.

Full details of the  Award Fellowship  can be found at  http://www.awardfellowships.org/the-award-fellowship/call-for-applications-2012.html 

Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity in Kenya

Deadline: August 16th ,2012

Place and Time: Moi University, Main Campus, School of Information Sciences,Eldoret Kenya From September 24-28, 2012 (9.00-5.00)


Technological innovation is taking place at a breath-taking pace. Simple, open source internet-based applications and services designed to enhance on-line collaboration are now available to the wider public at little or no cost at all. These new online technologies known as Web 2.0 and ‘social media’ enable people to collaborate to create, share and publish information. 

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation EU-ACP (CTA) has a mandate to facilitate access to and dissemination of information in the fields of agriculture and rural development in 78 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). Supporting the adoption of Web 2.0 applications represents a great opportunity for meeting it.

The School of Information Sciences of the Moi University in collaboration with CTA will host a 5-day Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity on September 24 - 28, 2012. Participants will be introduced to selected web 2.0 applications and will learn how to use them hands-on.The Learning Opportunity will cover advanced online searching, getting information served via alerts and RSS, collaborating remotely using wikis and Google Docs, using VoIP, online mapping and social media. Participants will get a chance to see what others have done, get hands-on experience on how to use innovative applications, and assess how they could adopt these innovations within the context of their work and organisation. This Learning Opportunity forms part of CTA initiatives that support development partners in networking, accessing and disseminating information more effectively.

Programme of the Learning Opportunity

• Introduction to the participatory World Wide Web (Web 2.0) 
• Search Magic: How to conduct advanced multilingual online searches;
• Information Self Service: How to get selected information served to you via alerts and RSS feeds;
• Remote collaboration: How to develop content remotely using wikis and Google Docs; 
• Online mapping: How to locate your organisation and your projects on a online Map;
• How to communicate voice over the internet at no cost;
• Online publishing (micro-blogging and blogging);
• Professional / corporate social networking (LinkedIn and Facebook);
• Web 2.0 self-instruction (introduction to iMARK) 

Participants - Eligibility and responsibilities

Participation in the Learning Opportunity is free of charge, but subject to acceptance by the organisers. 25 participants will be accepted for the event.  

Eligibility criteria

• be computer literate and conversant with browsing the Internet; 
• have regular access to a computer ( ownership of a computer is an advantage);
• be competent in  the use of the English language;
• have an active e-mail account;
• be actively engaged in agriculture and rural development / natural resource management / biodiversity conservation in the domains of ICT for development (ICT4D), policies, markets; publishing, communication and media;
• be in a position to take along a WIFI-enabled laptop to the training;
• be a resident of Kenya.

Responsibilities

Accepted participants will be responsible for all costs related to their travel to and from the venue at Moi University, Main Campus, School of Information Sciences, their accommodation, breakfast and supper, their daily subsistence allowances, and for bringing their own WIFI-enabled laptop to the Learning opportunity.

Entitlements

During each event, the organisers will provide lunch and refreshments and distribute copies of CTA publications and instructional material.

How to apply 

If you are interested in applying, please complete this online form.

Feedback

The organisers will inform successful applicants about the status of their application two weeks before the commencement of each course. Successful applicants will receive confirmation letters; others will be duly informed of the outcome of their application. 

Find the original post here Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity ,Moi University Main Campus, School of Information Sciences, Eldoret Kenya, September 24-28

Good luck to all who give it a try!

Orange Africa Venture Prize 2012

Deadline: September 21st 2012

I came across this venture prize from Savvy Kenya blog post and thought it relevant since checking its previous winners(last year) , i realize Agriculture category scooped the first prize. 
These 2011 Winners included:
1. Tele-Irrigation-Horticole by Abdou Maman Kane which allows for growers to irrigate their crops using mobile phones regardless of their geographical locations.Check his venture description in the 2011 winners note above.(Note: For English speakers,you will need the services of Google translate)
2. Agasha by Sharon Againe~A project meant to maintain an online business market with the aim of promoting small businesses in Africa,in the global market.

3. Kachile by Ulf Ritcher~whose objective is to promote Kachile African crafts especially in the sales section.

The 2012 edition

It aims at promoting social innovation by rewarding ventures using ICTs for developmental purposes.These projects range from e-health, Mobile banking,Mobile apps for Agriculture or education.

Prizes:

They comprise of a monetary award,and a 6 month mentorship under guidance of the experts.

The 3 winners will be awarded on the basis of their ICTs related projects that have the capability of addressing African needs on the confines of Orange footprints areas.(See the countries list)The  monetary award is thus:

 1st prize : € 25 000

 2nd prize : € 15 000

 3rd prize : € 10 000

Rules for Participation:

• Participants must be more than 21 years old.
• They(students, entrepreneurs or companies) must be operational since June2009.
• The project must target one of the Orange footprint areas above.
• The project must utilize ICTs to help improve the living conditions of the local populations.

For more information on the same, contact  orange.socialventure@starafricateam.com .

Check out these pages too: Rules ,2011 Winners ,Challenge 2012 edition , Project submision Tips among others in their  Website

Good Luck to all who give it a try!

FAO Call For Solutions: Showcase Your Initiatives on Youth In Agriculture

I received this Call for Solutions By Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)in my email and i thought it wise to share!


Deadline: 30th June,2012.


The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is working on a publication that aims at providing a set of solutions to overcome core challenges that rural youth typically face when they (want to) engage in agriculture as a sustainable business, providing them with decent employment. This publication addresses young leaders; young producers; producers’ organizations; youth programme formulators, youth development practitioners and decision-makers influencing youth programme design.

The publication will flag youth-specific solutions which have proved to help overcome a specific challenge.  These solutions can take the form of approaches; methods, tools, practices etc. from all over the world and preference will be given to those that have not yet been documented or that have not been shared much.

We very much count on your participation and in order to collect your solutions in an organized manner, we would be very grateful if you could fill out our online format by May 18 (Extended to 30th June) following the instructions below:

Instructions:

The format for collection of solutions consists of an online questionnaire.Please click on the link below and answer the questions :

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/youth_in_agriculture

Please note that you will need a good internet connection to be able to answer the questionnaire online.In case you have difficulties with the online questionnaire, we have attached a questionnaire in Word format that you can fill out and send back to us through email.Our team will be available to help you answering the questionnaire if necessary.

Your responses will be automatically recorded in our database and processed by our team according to pre-defined selection criteria.  We are looking for youth-specific solutions that are well documented and that are preferably replicable in other locations.

          

Furthermore, we would like to include several solutions per challenge from different geographic areas.  The best solutions will be included in the publication which will be widely disseminated.  Hence this is your opportunity to gain visibility and have your solution featured in an official FAO publication.

Question,Doubts,Problems,Further Information

Should you have any questions,doubts or problems,or if you want to share further information with us,please contact:

Charlotte Goemans

Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division (ESW)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Via delle Terme di Caracalla

00153 Rome, Italy

Tel: +39 06 570 53234

E-mail: Charlotte.Goemans@fao.org

PS: Find in Word format the links to the final Questionairre and cover letter.

i) Final Questionnaire

ii) Cover Letter

Young People and AgriFood: Small Grant Competition 2012-2013

Call for Applications
Deadline: 15 June 2012

The Future Agriculture Consortium, through its Young People and AgriFood Theme, seeks to address three constraints to more appropriate policy in relation to the “young people and agriculture” problem in Africa:

• A lack of analysis that is theoretically and historically informed, conceptually sound and context sensitive;
• A very weak base of empirical research relating to either the nature of the “problem” or the potential impacts of particular policy responses;
• A limited cadre of researchers and policy advocates who are actively working on and informed about these issues.

Continue Reading...........