Developing agroecology living labs and lighthouses for climate action under the Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) partnership

The main goal of this opportunity is to boost the resilience and sustainability of agriculture and food systems in Africa, while supporting climate change adaptation and biodiversity. It aims to foster innovation by developing new tools and approaches for sustainable farming, and encourages collaboration between local communities and scientific experts. The initiative prioritizes inclusive, multi-actor partnerships and the integration of local knowledge in research. Projects are expected to create synergies with existing African and European programs, especially under the EU-Africa Partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA). The scope covers all African Union member states and encourages participation from Mediterranean countries beyond the EU and AU.

• Projects must follow the multi-actor approach, involving farmers, researchers, policymakers, and civil society.
• Consortia need at least three independent legal entities from African Union member states, with at least two from the same African region.
• International organizations based in an EU Member State or Associated Country can participate.
• Legal entities from all African Union member states, including those with temporarily suspended membership, are eligible.
• Projects must build on past FNSSA experiences and create links with initiatives like DeSIRA and "A Soil Deal for Europe."
• Proposals should use participatory research in living labs and identify top-performing sites for conversion into lighthouses.

Examples:

• A project where farmers and scientists co-develop drought-resistant crops in West Africa, building on previous FNSSA research.
• An initiative in East Africa that creates living labs to test new agroecological practices, with local communities and advisors working together.
• A collaboration between Mediterranean and African partners to share climate-smart farming techniques, linking to existing EU-Africa programs.

• Grants to third parties (up to 60,000€ per recipient)
• Operational costs for living labs and lighthouses
• Personnel costs for researchers, advisors, and project staff
• Training and support services for farmers and local actors
• Equipment and materials needed for research and demonstration activities
• Travel and meeting expenses for project activities and stakeholder engagement
• Costs for developing and sharing innovative tools and approaches
• Communication, dissemination, and networking costs
• Expenses related to integrating local knowledge and participatory methods

Restrictions: No more than 30% of EU funding may be used for financial support to third parties, and each grant to a third party cannot exceed 60,000€.

• Budget for this Call: 12.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 2
• Budget per project: 6.000.000€

• Must use the multi-actor approach, engaging a diverse range of stakeholders
• Consortium must include at least three independent legal entities from African Union member states
• At least two entities in the consortium must be from the same African region
• International organizations based in an EU Member State or Associated Country are eligible
• Entities from all African Union member states, including those with temporarily suspended membership, can apply
• Projects must align with the goals of agroecological innovation and climate action under the FNSSA partnership