Call for Applications: Cashew Research Grant Program

Deadline Date: September 30, 2024

 Donor Name: ComCashew

 Grant Size: $100,000 to $500,000

Are you involved in any research activity within the cashew sector? Are you in a member state of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). Are you from a public research institution or entity with a high interest in sustainability, biodiversity, climate resilience, cashew production systems, as well as local cashew processing and value addition? Then this is a unique opportunity for you to realize your goal!

A financing and partnership tool designed to support innovative research ideas/projects in the cashew sector that are in line with the Business Support Facility goals and needs in the sector.

Aims

• The aim of the grant is to
  • foster South-South Cooperation and collaboration among research entities across OACPS member states
  • facilitate knowledge and technology transfer across countries through innovative and joint research activities
  • solve specific research questions/gaps in the cashew value chain. 

Focus Areas 

• Sustainable Cashew Production Systems- Agroecology
  • Cashew based Agroforestry Systems
  • Conservation Agriculture
  • Integrated pest and diseases management systems (bio control measures)
  • Climate Smart and environmentally friendly GAPs
  • Water conservation and drip irrigation technics
  • Diversification and intercropping systems
  • Soil and plant nutrition (reuse and recycling of crop residues)
  • biodiversity conservation and habitat management techniques
  • Carbon credit/ reduction of CO² emission
  • Production and dissemination of high yielding, drought resistant, pest and disease tolerant planting materials
  • Animal husbandry and cashew production systems 
• Value addition and processing technologies
  • Processing technologies
  • Economics of processing
  • Cashew by-products and development of new products
  • Food safety and nutritional aspects
  • Marketing and Consumption
  • Use of renewable energy
  • Use of cashew shell as source of biofuel
  • Certification (organic, fairtrade, etc.)

What do they mean by innovative research idea in the cashew value chain? 

• Adaptive Research approaches and models, or best-practices developed by public research entities in collaboration with other consortium partners that will support the sustainability of the cashew value chain and value addition
• The proposals should include
  • bio-physical science and social science to address the complexity of the innovation processes
  • multistakeholder approaches to mobilize scientific and local knowledge, foster exchanges among researchers and practitioners to share results and build synergies. Regional and superregional cooperations between research institutions will be prioritized.

Funding Information 

• The financial contribution from EU INTPA, OACPS and BMZ (further referred to as contribution through GIZ / GIZ-part) for each cashew research grant project will be maximum 125,000 € for the entire duration of the project, depending on the coverage and proposed impact of the project.
• Each Cashew Research Grant project will last up to 18 months after signing of the contract. A final decision on the duration of the project will be made between GIZ MOVE and the research grant partners during the proposal review stage.

Who can apply?

• The cashew research grant consists of a lead applicant (which must be a public entity) and its consortium partners. Individual research entities are also allowed to apply for the grant.
• The general idea of the research grant is to create a public good that is supporting the existing network the applicant operates in. This can be achieved through knowledge and innovative technologies production based on open access rules or through capacity strengthening of actors on proven research approaches along the value chain.
• Lead applicants (public)
  • Research institutions/bodies.
  • Universities or laboratories
  • Regional Research Alliances/Consortium
  • Individuals on behalf of an institution/ organization
• Consortium partners
  • Research institutions/bodies.
  • Universities or laboratories
  • Regional Research Alliances/Consortium
  • Individuals on behalf of an institution/organization
  • International research institutions
  • Farmer Cooperatives/ producer organizations
  • Public institutions
  • Private companies
• Please note that lead applicants must come from a public research institution.
• In terms of the requirements for a consortium, all partners must be legally recognized and empowered to enter into binding agreements. It is fundamental that each consortium consists of at least one national partner.
• To qualify for the grant, a full proposal is to be developed and submitted together with a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that clarifies the roles, governance structures in the consortium, responsibilities, and contributions of each partner for evaluation.
• Pre-existing research linkages between consortium partners prior to the Cashew research grant call for proposals should be indicated in the proposal, as it may be beneficial for the application. All cashew research grant consortium partners may make a specified contribution to the project, which can be provided in cash, in kind, or a combination of the two. OACPS member states are eligible for application.
• Note: Priority will be given to
  • Applicants who apply as a consortium.
  • Regional projects (projects implemented in more than 1 country)
  • Women and youth led research consortia

For more information, visit ComCashew.