Project DURAS Competitive Grants Scheme: 2nd Call for Proposals

Stakeholders in agricultural research for sustainable development are invited to submit their pre-proposals for the DURAS 2nd Call for Proposals on the themes (a) Agroecology and other sustainable farming practices; and (b) Linking farmers to market and support to small and medium agro- enterprises (agri SMEs).

Who may submit pre-proposals?

Application for the Competitive Grants is open to all stakeholders involved in agricultural research, provided that the Lead Proponent (LP) is (a) from a university, national research center or a civil society organization (e.g. NGO, farmers organization), and (b) from a ZSP (Priority Solidarity Zone) covered by the project.

What are the themes covered by the 2nd Call?

As earlier mentioned, the 2nd Call will accept pre-proposals on the following two thematic areas:

Theme 1: Agro-ecology and other sustainable farming practices
Pre-proposals under this theme should be able to contribute to food security and the conservation of resources through low-cost farming technologies focusing on labor practices that respect soil quality, increase the incorporation of organic matter and enable good carbon uptake. Proposals for scaling-up agro-ecological Innovations developed by farmers and local communities that address these concerns can also be submitted.

Theme 2: Linking farmers to market and support to small and medium agro- enterprises (agri SMEs)
This theme extends the framework of agricultural research by taking into account the growing effects of liberalization and the important changes occurring in agriculture and their consequences for rural areas. Pre-proposals that address post-harvest improvement and agricultural value-addition to increase over-all farm economic productivity and rural farm income while taking into account natural resource conservation can be submitted under this theme.

What are the eligibility criteria?

The proposed project should:

1. Involve a minimum of two (2) countries from the South (which may not necessarily be from the same region/sub-region)
2. Involve at least three (3) stakeholder groups, one of which should either be an NGO, a farmers organization, or small-medium enterprise
3. Submit Letter(s) of Intent (LOI) from their collaborating organizations stating their willingness and commitment to participate in the proposedproject.

How to submit a pre-proposal?

Proponents should register their pre-proposal(s) by filling in electronic form accessible at the DURAS website. Pre-proposals can be submitted as an attachment through this mode or by .

All applications must, without exemptions, use the pre-proposal format provided in the Annex of the Guidelines which you can find with this announcement.

There is no need to submit paper copies of the pre-proposal. However, original and signed Letter(s) of Intent should be submitted to the DURAS Project Office at the address provided below.

Proponents with internet connectivity problems may, however, send their pre-proposals together with the original and signed Letter(s) of Intent and CVs by post, making sure that it will reach the DURAS Project Office by the set deadline.

How will the pre-proposals be evaluated? What are the criteria?

Only complete pre-proposals will be reviewed. These will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

• Over-all project design and feasibility (25%) - clarity of objectives, consistency of key activities with stated objectives, realistic and relevant expected outputs, clear and participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) process, and likelihood of success.
• Appropriateness and innovativeness (25%) - appropriateness of proposed intervention to address regional priority issue, whether the proposal offers value added and novel solutions, and applicability/viability of the proposed intervention.
• Socio-economic considerations (20%) – possible contribution to local/regional development and positive spill-over, demonstrable/promising economic/financial benefits to local communities, and adaptability of the proposed intervention.
• Environmental and Sustainability considerations (15%).
• Partnership Quality (15%) - extent by which the proposed project promotes empowerment of stakeholders, including opportunities provided to enhance their scientific potential.

How much is the award size and how many projects will be selected?

Award size vary from a minimum of Euro 20,000 to a maximum of Euro 150,000 over a three-year period. The number of projects may vary depending on the proposed budget of selected projects.

Why co-financing?

Co-financing is key element of the DURAS competitive grants component. This mechanism is put in place not only to provide additional resources to finance Southern initiatives but also to foster shared responsibilty, co-ownership and accountability.

DURAS will provide up to 73% of the project's total cost while French and/or European collaborators should contribute the remaining 27% either in cash or in-kind.

What is the timeframe for the 2nd Call?
Below is the indicative timeframe for the 2nd Call for Proposals:

Contacts:
Oliver OLIVEROS
Coordinator, Project DURAS
Agropolis International
Avenue Agropolis F-34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
Tel: +33 (0)4 67 04 3747
Fax : +33 (0)4 67 04 7599