8 May 2024
1000FARMS supports the implementation of on-farm testing of late-stage breeding materials (candidates for variety release and checks). The digital platform ClimMob supports the tricot approach, which makes it possible to streamline on-farm testing by farmers. Specifically, the tricot approach facilitates that breeding programs collaborate with organizations that have a large ‘footprint’ with farmers (extension, service providers). Such collaborations can increase coverage of on-farm testing, reduce its costs and generate a link with relevant partners in the seed system for subsequent variety dissemination and seed sales. By supporting the implementation of the tricot approach through new partnerships, 1000FARMS aims to catalyze this potential.
Purpose
The call for catalytic small projects provides new partnerships of organizations the possibility to:
- Learn about tricot and implement the approach in a low-risk way
- Create awareness and common understanding about how the approach works
- Shape new collaborative multi-stakeholder agreements for more efficient and effective on-farm testing
- Improve the tricot approach methodologically
Requirements
1000FARMS has funding available to support 5 catalytic projects in 2024 for up to a maximum of USD 20,000 each. These funds can be accessed by organizations that fulfill all of the following criteria:
- Ongoing collaboration with one or more of the CGIAR centres on crop breeding
- Active breeding programs for two or more crops with late-stage breeding products near variety release. We especially encourage projects in which two (or more) breeding programmes collaborate.
- Willingness to learn about tricot, improve on-farm or consumer testing practice, and actively work with other organizations in making on-farm testing more collaborative
- Having completed a training in tricot/ClimMob through Alliance, IITA or CIMMYT
- One of the following:
- Not having implemented tricot yet
- Having implemented tricot already, and proposing an innovative multi-stakeholder collaboration for tricot implementation (example: breeding programme partnering with a service organization or farmers’ organization to be more efficient)
- Having implemented tricot already, and proposing methodological innovation or evaluation (examples: improving farmer responses through cognitive interviewing or participatory video, improving post-harvest or consumer testing)
Process
Organizations that want to access the funding should fill out the proposal template in English (Annex 1) and send it to Ms. Grecia Benavente (g.benavente@cgiar.org) with subject “RFP Small grants – [Name of organization]”. All the points should be covered. This call opens on 08th April 2024 and closes on the 30th June 2024. Successful proposals might be invited for a short interview with the selection panel. For any enquiries related to the call, please contact Ms. Grecia Benavente.
The activities detailed in the proposal should start in November 2024 or after. Do not plan a project for the next agricultural season if this requires rushing the process. Projects can be executed at any point starting in 2024 and should end no later than September 30th, 2025.
Of the allotted funds, 80% will be provided upfront, in September 2024 and 20% upon delivery of (1) the trial data through ClimMob, which will be open access, and (2) a report that describes the lessons learnt and the outcomes that have been achieved (Annex 2).
Please note that for some crops, approved projects may have to rely on internal funding within their institute if they are to establish the trials before receiving 80% of the funds in September.
In 2023, we funded 5 projects. This second call seeks to fund 5 catalytic projects as well. Applicants that submitted a proposal in 2023 can apply to the second call as well.
Timeline
| Item | Date |
| Request for proposals announcement | April 2024 |
| Online seminar about the call | 15 May 2024 |
| Deadline for applicant enquiries | 22 May 2024 |
| Deadline of distribution of answers | 24 May 2024 |
| Deadline for submission of applications | 30 June 2024 |
| End of review process | 31 July 2024 |
| Deadline contract award announcement | 09 August 2024 |
| Deadline signing of grant agreements | 30 September 2024 |
| Deadline for first disbursement | 11 October 2024 |
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Submission of proposal
Please submit the following as four (4) separate documents* in one e-mail to g.benavente@cgiar.org with the subject “RFP Small grants – [Name of organization]”, no later than 30th of June, 2024 midnight (East Africa Time):
- The completed proposal template (Annex 1) covering all points, including timeline and budget.
- Complete the Due Diligence declaration that can be found here.
- Bank certificate.
- Registration document of the organization applying for this grant.
