[Message from David Coombs]

The EC is planning a call for proposals to cover research at a global level financed from within its Food Security Thematic Programme. This particular call is for non-CGIAR based research and the total amount available for 2009 is expected to be EUR 23 - 28 million. The overall theme for the programme will be "Agricultural innovation for smallholders farmers in developing countries for food security, adaptation/mitigation to climate change and economic development".

I have been asked to carry out an identification and formulation mission as part of the preparation of this call and I would welcome your ideas and advice on a number of areas. This input can be by exchange of email at an individual level or by telephone conversation.

The main areas that I would welcome input on are the following:

Mechanisms

1. Is a call for proposals the best way of funding this programme? I would welcome a copy of any calls for proposals and associated documentation together with any specific suggestions about how to ensure a successful outcome.

2. Is there scope for combining the work with existing programmes in this area? Specifically..?

3. What lessons should be learnt from other similar recent calls for proposals?

4. What linkage should be required between north and south institutions in order to build innovation capacity in developing countries?

5. How can the "innovation system approach" be best built into the programme to ensure a practical sustainable impact from the research. '

6. What assistance can SAG members provide, based on their own experience, in the compiling of guidelines for applicants and evaluators?

Themes

The content of the programme is not yet decided but the following list of 7 themes has been proposed:

- Climate change adaptation and mitigation for small-holders farmers in developing countries

- Trade-offs between bio-fuels and crop growing: innovative policies and techniques to ensure the right balance for food security

- "Conservation agriculture" (based on Agroecology) to combat land degradation in dry land areas

- Innovation systems involving smallholders farmers and traditional knowledge in developing countries

- Empowering small-holder farmers in the access to markets

- Risk management in family agriculture in developing countries

- Agricultural diversification (high value crops, organic agriculture, and underutilized species)

This list is substantially based on a FARA - EFARD consultation carried out in April 2008 for the EC's FP7 and FSTP programmes and therefore can be described as demand-led.
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1. I would particularly like to receive your ideas on the themes above - or additional themes that you believe should be considered..

2. Are the themes too broad and should be more tightly focussed?

3. It is important to know that the themes selected are interesting for the research community in developed, developing and emerging economy countries, and so are likely to receive research applications. Any information on the activities of major research institutions relating to these themes would be very useful..

Complementarities and Synergies

1. What current programmes are being financed or are foreseen at SAG memnber institutions on these research themes (like for example the German call for proposals on "Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate Change - Risk and Benefit of Biomass with Respect to Socioeconomic and Ecological Conditions") ?

2. How can the EC programme best be designed in order to generate synergies and avoid duplication with SAG member programmes?

This list of points is not exhaustive and I would be happy to receive your comments on any aspect of the process. As always, however, the process is short and I would appreciate any feedback as soon as possible and in any case by 17th October at the latest.

I can be contacted best through email:
[email protected]
(or alternatively if there are problems with spam filters: [email protected]).

Best regards

David Coombs