APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR

CLIMATE RESILIENT AGRICULTUREINNOVATION GRANTS (IGs)

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) as the executing agency of the IFAD ASPIREProgram, is providing grant funding to support demonstration and testing, under smallholder farm conditions, of promising technologies for climate resilient agriculture.

Innovation grants of average amount USD90,000(with maximum USD150,000) are available tosupport testing of technologies with the maximum involvement of the smallholder farmer target market. Note :testing will be carried out on-farm, not at a research facility.Only new Climate Resilient Innovations that have not been properly tested under Cambodianfield conditions are eligible for the grants. The timeframe is a maximum of 2 years.

For projects awarded for 2 years, Year 2 funds will be approved subject to sufficient progress/results in Year 1.

Target area. All tests will be carried out in a participatory manner “on-farm” in the ASPIRE provinces

Target group. The target group is Cambodian smallholder farmers. However, involvement of groups formed by past and future IFAD-funded projects is encouraged.There are two main groups involved – the PADEE Improved Group Revolving Fund (IGRF) members, and the ASPIRE Self-Learning Groups (SLG).

Target Topics. Proposals are called for across the whole range of on-farm Climate Resilient agricultural practices with scope three objectives (i) sustainably increase agricultural productivities and incomes, (ii) adapt and build resilience to climate change and (iii) reduce/or remove greenhouse gas emission where possible:

  1. Crop Production management (e.g. Stress Tolerant Varieties, Crop Establishment, Crop Management, post harvest technologies)
  2. Soil Management
  3. Water Management
  4. Livestock Management
  5. Capture Fisheries and Aquaculture
  6. Crop Information Systems and Early warning
  7. Model Farming (introduction integrated innovation and practices)

More specific examples under each of these categories are included in the appendix.

Proposal Inclusion : Proposals must include a knowledge development and communication plan to disseminate the results and mainstream the successful innovations through a review by the ASPIRE extension hub and inclusion of the results in new extension materials. Innovations can also be used as new evidence for the review of existing policies.

Application forms must be sent with the headline Climate Resilient Agriculture Innovation Grant Application Form. Attention to Mr. Nak Rotha, Procurement Officer: and in copy:

Dr.Mak Soeun
Deputy Director of GDA and Program Manager Research and Extension ASPIRE
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries
Email:

The Call is local / international and MAFF will ONLY accept proposals in English. For more information, and request for clarifications, please kindly contact:

PROCEDURES AND SELECTIONCRITERIA OF POTENTIAL IGs

Project proposals can be presented by one applicant or by a group of applicants and are expected to provide the information as required in the Application Form.

  1. Eligibility Criteria

The following criteria will be adopted for screening of eligible IGs. All applications must meet the following 3 criteria:

Criteria / Sub-Criteria
Eligible Applicant /
  • Private companies, NGOs, Community-Based Organizations (CBO)
  • Autonomous/semi-autonomous government agencies (not part of administrative structure of Ministry)
  • Registered entity with a minimum of 5 years' operational experience

Innovation /
  • The Innovations to be tested can be used by, or bring significant benefit to individual or groups of smallholder farmers, or local businesses engaged in, or providing advice to, farm-based production activities. The innovations must also be market-based and climate resilience and adapted.
  • Cost (or projected cost) of the Innovationis affordable by a smallholder farmer or a group of farmers; or capable of being invested in by government
  • Not already commercialized for smallholder agriculture use in Cambodia

Co-Financing /
  • At least 10% must be co-financed by applicant (can include in-kind contribution)
  • Involvement of other projects in Cambodia is encouraged – to provide funding or utilise wider networks

  1. Assessment criteria

There are 3 main scoring criteria adopted by the Technical Committee in evaluating and assessing grant applications. The criteria include:

  1. The institutional capacity of the applicant (24%);
  2. The potential benefits of the innovationcomprising benefits to the individual user, the community and the environment (32%);
  3. The quality of the proposalreflecting priorities of smallholder farmers in Cambodia(44%):

the quality of the pilot testing methodology (number of testing sites, awareness raising, training and capacity building, monitoring and reporting, and strategy for replication and scaling up) will be assessed.

Grants will be awarded to the highest scoring proposals.Please see details belowon the assessment criteria and scoring protocol for awarding grants.

  1. Eligible and non-eligible costs

The applicant will bear all costs including transportation of material, labour, and local transportation, lodging and boarding within Cambodia. The applicant must:

  1. Submit a cost table based on the eligible costs listed below;
  2. The cost table submittedby the applicantwill be incorporated into the Grant Contract;
  3. Any costs incurred outside of the cost table will not be eligible.

Eligible costs include:

Pre-feasibility studies/market analysis, behavioural change (and other related studies for better targeting of consumer needs)

Installation and execution of demonstration sites

Training and capacity building activities

Elaboration of business plans (replication and scaling-up strategy)

Convening awareness raising programs, training for local beneficiaries, forums, workshops and seminars

Preparation of technical reports, documentation in standardized formats provided by MAFF-PSU

Ineligible costs include:

Project activities taking place outside Cambodia

Stand-alone research or data collection that does not clearly address the projects' priorities

Ongoing general operating expenses,such as, salaries of staff, rent, office equipment etc.

Capital expenditure beyond supporting cost of IGs.

  1. Due diligence process

ASPIRE is committed to providing up-to-date, accurate and user-friendly guidelines for IG applicants. Advertising of the grants will be via existing means of public information.ASPIRE will not give prior opinion on the eligibility of applicants or project proposals nor will it respond to individual inquiries regarding the status of review process.

Eligibility and Assessment Criteriafor Awarding Grants

Eligibility Criteria

The National Agricultural Technical Sub-Committee will conduct a screening to assess eligible applications. The following 3 main criteria will be used for eligibility of the Innovation Grants:

Criteria / Sub-Criteria
Eligible Applicant
(see section 1.1 and 1.2 in application form) /
  • Private Company, government agencies NGO, Community Based Organization (CBO) semi/or and autonomous/semi-autonomous government agency, universities/collaegues (not part of administrative structure of Ministry)
  • Registered entity with a minimum of 2 years' operational experience
/ Yes / No
Innovation
(see section 2.1 – 2.3 in application form) /
  • The Innovations to be tested can be used by, or bring significant benefit to, individual or groups of smallholder farmers, or local businesses engaged in, or providing advice to, farm-based production activities. The innovations must also be market-based.
/ Yes / No
  • Cost (or projected cost) of the Innovation is affordable by a smallholder farmer or a group of farmers; or capable of being invested in by government or private sector.
/ Yes / No
  • Not already commercialized for smallholder agriculture use in Cambodia
/ Yes / No
Co-Financing
(see section 2.4 in application form) /
  • At least 10% must be co-financed by applicant (can include in-kind contribution)
  • Involvement of other projects in Cambodia is encouraged – to provide funding or utilise wider network
/ Yes / No

Assessment Criteria

There are 3 main scoring criteria adopted by the Technical Committee in evaluating and awarding grants. The criteria include:

  1. The institutional capacity of the applicant (24%);
  2. The potential benefits of the technology comprising benefits to the individual user, the community and the environment (34%);
  3. The quality of the project implementation plan reflecting priorities of smallholder farmers in Cambodia(42%):

the quality of the testing methodology (monitoring, technical assistance, awareness raising, reporting and strategy for replication and scaling up etc.) will be assessed.

Criteria / Sub-Criteria / Testing
1. Institutional Capacity of applicant
(see section 3.1 in application form) /
  • Number of years of experience with performing similar testing roles: 8 points
  • Number of years with experience working with poor rural residents in developing countries: 8 points
  • Qualifications of leading staff members: 8 points
(see scoring protocol below) / 24%
2. Potential benefits for smallholder agriculture
(see section 3.2 in application form) /
  • Cost of Innovation per farmer (affordability and lifespan): 10points
  • Expected improvement in annual gross margin: 10 points
  • Good market potential supports the Innovation: 8 points
  • Expected significant additional benefits (capacity development, social, soil/water conservation, labor etc): 6 points
(see scoring protocol below) / 34%
3. Quality of the proposal: Testing methodology
(see section 3.3 in application form) / The proposed testing methodology has a high probability of defining the usefulness of the innovation to the smallholder farmers, and any needed changes. The knowledge development/communication plan maximizes the adoption opportunity
  • Test conditions represent a range of conditions faced by smallholder farmers who are potential users of the Innovation. Methodology includes comparison with current best practice: 10 points
  • Clear methodology for measuring and recording results, including involving potential users in relating results to future modifications and recommendations. Also included are all capital and operating costs: 14 points
  • Detailed assessment of the barriers that may constrain uptake of theInnovation: 6 points
  • Clear strategy for knowledge development and communication plan to disseminate the results and mainstream the successful innovations: 12 points
(see scoring protocol below) / 42%

SCORING PROTOCOL

  1. Institutional Capacity of applicant

Criteria / Absent / Weak / Good / Strong / Exception-ally strong
# Years' with experience promoting RET
(see section 3.1.1in application form)
> 10 years: Exceptionally strong
5 – 10 years: Strong
2 – 5 years: Good
0 – 2 years: Weak
0 years: Absent / 0 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 8
Comment:
# Years' experience working with poor rural residents in developing countries and/or in Cambodia(see section 3.1.2 in application form)
> 10 years: Exceptionally strong
5 – 10 Years: Strong
2 – 5 years: Good
0 – 2 years: Weak
0 years: Absent / 0 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 8
Comment:
Highest qualification in a relevant discipline of the staff members proposed to lead the activity(see section 3.1.3 in application form)
PhD with relevant experience
MSc: with relevant experience
Bachelor Degree (technical discipline) with relevant experience
Bachelor Degree: (non-technical discipline) with relevant experience / 0 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 8
Comment:
  1. Potential benefits for smallholder agriculture

Sub-Criterion: Cost of Innovation per farmer (affordability and lifespan)
(section 3.2.1. in application form)
Range / Points
1 / Capital cost of the equipment is below $100 per user household / 10
2 / Capital cost of the equipment is $100 to $250 per user household / 7.5
3 / Capital cost of the equipment is $250 to $750 per user household / 5
4 / Capital cost of the equipment is $750 to $2,500 per user household / 2.5
5 / Capital cost of the equipment is above $2,500 per user household / 0
Comment:
Sub-Criterion: Annual Gross Margin Improvement
(section 3.2.1 in application form)
Range / Points
1 / Gross margin improved by >200% / 10
2 / Gross margin improved by 100 – 199% / 7.5
3 / Gross margin improved by 50 – 99% / 5
4 / Gross margin improved by 10 – 49% / 2.5
5 / Gross margin improved by < 10% / 0
Comment:
Sub-Criterion: Good market potential supports the Innovation
(section 3.2.1 in application form)
Range / Points
1 / Innovation has high probability of helping smallholders engage in new markets, or achieve higher profits in existing markets / 8
2 / Moderate market applicability / 4
3 / The information has minor market applicability / 0
Comment:
Sub-Criterion: Additionalbenefits(capacity development, social, soil/water conservation, labor etc)
(section 3.2.1 in application form)
Range / Points
1 / Significant, long term, multiple benefits / 6
2 / Provides good benefit in multiple areas / 4
3 / Provides good benefit in a limited number of areas / 2
4 / Minimal additional benefits / 0
Comment:
  1. Quality of the project implementation plan

Sub-Criterion
(section 3.3 in application form) / Absent / Weak / Good / Very Good / Excellent
1 / Test conditions represent a range of conditions faced by smallholder farmers who are potential users of the Innovation. Methodology includes comparison with current best practice / 0 / 3 / 6 / 9 / 12
Comment:
2 / Clear methodology for measuring and recording results, including involving potential users in relating results to future modifications and recommendations. Also included are all capital and operating costs / 0 / 2 / 7 / 10 / 12
Comment:
3 / Detailed assessment of the barriers that constrain uptake of the Innovation / 0 / 1.5 / 3 / 4.5 / 6
Comment:
4 / Clear strategy for knowledge development and communication plan to disseminate the results and mainstream the successful innovations / 0 / 3 / 6 / 9 / 12
Comment:

ANNEX

Climate Smart Agricultural Practices

Following is a list of Climate Smart Agricultural practices that could form the basis for proposals.

  1. Soil Management

Practices that help to push sustainable agricultural productivity close to the limits set by soil type and climate :

  1. Limit soil disturbance
  2. Retain crop residues or other soil surface cover
  3. Limit runoff, erosion, nutrient, leaching
  4. Crop rotations
  1. Crop Production

Choice of specific crop types, annual combinations, and growing technology, can improve resilience, profit, and reduce environmental footprints.

  1. New varieties – adapted to expected climate changes specific to area
  2. Cropping calendar to provide options depending on conditions
  3. Best practice agronomy, including timeliness
  4. Crop insurance
  5. Early warning systems
  6. Integrate agro-forestry
  1. Water Management

Rain-fed and irrigated methods that improve the cropping water use efficiency, protect from erosion, and conserve nutrients.

  1. Water harvesting
  2. Soil management for water retention and saving
  3. Water use efficiency of irrigated systems eg. “More crop from the drop”
  1. Livestock Management

Animal management systems that improve the diversity of farming incomes.

  1. Improved feed options, including agroforestry and supplements
  2. Husbandry, breeding
  3. Insurance
  4. Early warning systems
  1. Capture Fisheries and Aquaculture

Systems that diversify nutrient sources for rural populations, while offering a wider range of income, and livelihood options, and protecting wild fish stocks.

  1. Productivity through improved inputs and technology
  2. Regulations
  3. Coastal protection
  1. Information Systems

Provision of targeted information to enable better decision-making on enterprise choices, given the predicted climatic conditions.

  1. Information to enable rapid switching between enterprises, depending on climatic conditions
  2. Weather and climatic forecasts – early warning systems
  3. Extension information