Call for Funding: BMEL Agroecological Innovations for Territorial Markets

Particularly in times of multiple crises – climate, wars and conflicts, loss of biodiversity, and pandemics – the sustainable transformation of agricultural and food systems is more important than ever to make the human right to adequate food a reality. The global nutrition situation has deteriorated significantly in recent years. Almost 2.37 billion people worldwide lack access to adequate food and a large part of the world’s population suffers from malnutrition.

The various crises, combined with a steadily growing population, continuing urbanisation, and changing dietary habits, are putting considerable pressure on existing agricultural and food systems, especially in low-income regions, while revealing their limitations regarding the realization of the right to food. A transformation towards climate-friendly and crisis-proof agricultural and food system is urgently required in order to guarantee food security and quality as well as to create jobs and opportunities for the rapidly growing population in urban regions and to alleviate migration pressure, especially with regard to young people.

The funding aims to promote needs-oriented insights and solutions to improve food security, giving particular consideration to quality aspects and drawing on approaches to research that are participatory, practice- and application-oriented, as well as inter- and transdisciplinary. In addition, the aim is to establish and promote long-term scientific networks and partnerships via interregional cooperation and transnational exchange of knowledge. A contribution to local capacity development is a further objective.

As part of its funding for research on global food security, the BMEL makes a tangible contribution, in particular, to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 “Zero Hunger”, but also SDG 1 “No Poverty” and SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-being”. The BMEL’s commitment in the area of global food security is based on international obligations, in particular the implementation of the Right to Adequate Food, the Agenda 2030, and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Thematic Focus 

• The research activities should give due consideration to the above-mentioned research approaches and address one or more of the following topics focused on agroecologically oriented, nutrition-sensitive, and inclusive territorial markets and value chains:
  • (Further) development and use of agroecological (including technological, digital, institutional, organisational, social) innovations, taking input supply chains and their markets as well as possibilities for scaling into consideration;
  • Connecting urban and/or urban producers of agroecological products and customers, alternative food networks, diversification of marketing channels and systems (value webs), responsible innovative financing mechanisms and business models including strategies and innovations based on economic solidarity;
  • Standards and certification for the differentiation and evaluation of agroecological food, investments, and business models, including relevant implementation models, giving due consideration to food safety and labor rights;
  • Consumer behaviour and marketing innovations to open up markets for agroecologically produced food;
  • Policy framework conditions and governance to strengthen agroecological marketing channels and territorial markets, study of food policies and incentive systems, the role of knowledge and innovation systems.

Funding Information

• Project funding is provided in the form of non-repayable grants based on project expenditure or costs that are eligible for either full or partial funding.

Research Approaches 

• The scope of this announcement permits research approaches from various scientific disciplines, including the natural sciences, political science and sociology, while existing data sets may also be incorporated and appropriately used for elements relating to policy advice (applied data sciences). The research activities should pursue an inter- and transdisciplinary multi-stakeholder approach and develop practical, compatible, and sustainable solutions in the existing environment.
• The research projects should incorporate innovative approaches to promote the transformation to sustainable, effective, resilient, and climate-adapted agricultural and food systems. In doing so, they should focus on practical problems and involve specific target groups (such as persons with political authority, consumers, producers) and their local knowledge from an early stage and throughout the process. In addition, the project should foster a sense of responsibility and ownership among participants and thus help ensure the lasting impact of measures beyond the project period.
• The research projects should promote knowledge exchange as well as the political and economic compatibility and integration of the research results. The co-creation of knowledge as part of the transdisciplinary investigation of the research topic is particularly important in this regard.
• In the process of identifying the research topic of the short proposal, synergy effects as well as possible solutions for identified conflicts of objectives with regard to the transformation of agricultural and food systems can be investigated and further developed. The research activities should consider aspects of gender, vulnerability, marginalisation, and age, and strengthen social justice. Both the urban and rural population in the target regions, as well as connecting both groups, should be given consideration.

Eligibility Criteria

• In accordance with the directive, only consortia consisting of at least one German research institution and at least one research institution from Sub-Saharan Africa and/or South and/or Southeast Asia are eligible for funding through this funding instrument.
• German research institutions active within the scope of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, as well as German universities, German universities of applied science, and non-university research institutions are eligible to apply.
• Stakeholders from outside the field of science may also be eligible for small amounts of funding for knowledge transfer and capacity development. In general, activities should be appropriately and equally shared between all participating parties with respect to both content and funding in accordance with the respective research approach.
• While international agricultural research institutions of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Association of International Research and Development Centers for Agriculture (AIRCA) are not eligible for funding, they may participate in project consortia at their own expense.
• Promoting the academic training of suitable junior scientists (at master’s or PhD level) at the foreign partner institutions as part of the research activities is expressly desired.

Selection Criteria

• Selection criteria are, in particular, that
  • the project makes a contribution to improving food security along all dimensions while giving due consideration to quality-related aspects,
  • the project meets the objectives and priorities of this announcement and thus helps with the transformation of agricultural and food systems,
  • the project is relevant to the national policies and strategies in the respective region,
  • the research is participatory, applied, and needs- and solution-oriented with practical relevance and innovation potential for the target region,
  • the applicant presents a sufficiently detailed description and justification of the project,
  • the applicant and partners are sufficiently qualified to carry out the project work,
  • consideration is given to measures relating to capacity development, promoting junior researchers, and knowledge exchange,
  • the project takes account of aspects relating to gender, youth, and marginalisation,
  • the project helps advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
  • the proposed project budget and use of funds are appropriate.

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