Food+&+Business+Applied+Research+Fund++ +Call+for+Proposals

8/13/2019 Food+&+Business+Applied+Research+Fund++ +Call+for+Proposals

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Chapter1: Introduction / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

Contents

1 Introduction 21.1 Background 21.2 Available budget 41.3 Validity of the call for proposals 4

2 Aim 52.1 Aim and objectives 52.2 Foci 52.3 Target groups 7

3 Guidelines for applicants 83.1 Who can apply 83.2 What can be applied for 83.3 When can applications be submitted 103.4 Preparing an application 103.5 Impact pathways, monitoring & evaluation 103.6

Submitting an application 10

3.6 General regulations and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) 114 Assessment procedure 12

4.1 Procedure 124.2 Criteria 134.3 Governance of the Programme 13

5 Other information 155.1 Contact 15

6 Annexes 166.1 General instructions for applicants 166.2 Specific instructions for applicants 166.3 Partner countries of Dutch development cooperation 216.4 Schematic examples of impact pathways 22


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1 Introduction1.1 Background

The Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF) is a subsidy scheme of

the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is created to underpin the

Ministrys food security policy by making more effective use of knowledge

and encouraging innovation for development impact in the 15 partner

countries of Dutch development cooperation.1The ARF aligns also with the

Dutch economic Top Sector policy on Agri&Food and Horticulture &

Propagation Materials. The ARF is implemented by The Netherlands

Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), department WOTRO Science

for Global Development.

This Call for proposals invites consortia composed of private and public

practitioners organisations and research organisations, from the Dutch

development partner countries and from the Netherlands, to submit projectproposals for applied research for innovation. Proposals must be driven by

the demands of localp r a c t i t i o n e r o r g a n i s a t i o n s 2and align with the Multi-

Annual Strategic Plans (MASPs) of the Dutch embassies in the partner

countries.

Policy background

Decades of lowering food prices have resulted in neglecting investments in food

production, nutrition security and related research in developing countries. Growing

populations, changing diets, climate change and (partly related) resource scarcities

as well as the realization that self-reliance depends on productive economic sectors,

all have put food and nutrition security squarely back on the agenda.

The development of local and regional food chains can increase food security and

boost economic growth that contributes to poverty alleviation. Inclusive economic

growth is a powerful instrument to sustainably diminish poverty in developing

countries. A strong for-profit private sector can drive growth and encourage

entrepreneurship in developing countries and may contribute to self-reliance.

However, investment climates for business often remain stuck in poorly functioning

institutions, although many domestic and regional markets have great yet

unrealized potentials.

The food security policy of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has four main

objectives (pillars) (see box 1)3, which form the foci of this Call for proposals of the

Applied Research Fund.

1Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali,

Mozambique, Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Yemen.2Practitioners organisationsmay include any type of organisation other than research or higher

education organisations that represent a group of people actively engaged in food security, both

public (governmental departments of line ministries or local governments, extension services) and

private (including for-profit enterprises and related support organisations as well as private non-profit organisations, such as non-governmental organisations, cooperatives, unions, civil society

organisations, et cetera).3Netherlands Food Security Policy note(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economic

Affairs, 2011).


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Addressing food and nutrition security requires investments, not only with capital

but also in knowledge for smarter solutions. Therefore, the Dutch Ministry of

Foreign Affairs has designed a Food & Business Knowledge Agenda4 that aims to

enhance documentation, production, sharing and application of knowledge relevant

to achieve food security and private sector development in the partner countries of

Dutch development cooperation.

To detail the Knowledge Agenda, the Food & Business Knowledge Forum has been

installed. The Forum, consisting of networks of international and local stakeholders,

plays a central role in articulating knowledge demands and in sharing of research

results with a broad range of stakeholders. The Forum has been involved in

designing the ARF.

The Applied Research Fund

The ARF is a subsidy scheme that provides grants for applied research projects (see

box 2) geared at developing new solutions for practical problems in the partner

countries, which may also include a regional perspective. For the ARF, research that

aims at providing proof of concept5is included. Research projects to be funded are

practitioner organisation driven, evolve in a process of co-creation with one or more

research organisations, and align with the MASPs of the relevant Dutch embassy.6

The ARF aligns with the innovation policy of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs

that identifies Top Sectors for which Dutch knowledge and business experience

have a comparative, international added value. In the Top Sectors, Dutch science

and business communities cooperate with the Dutch government to strengthen their

international position and to contribute to innovation for addressing societal

challenges. The Top Sectors Agri&Food and Horticulture & PropagationMaterials

have expressed the willingness to develop stronger relations with developing

countries as part of their internationalisation strategies and have endorsed the ARF.

4See the summary of the Food & Business Knowledge Agenda.5A proof of concept is the phase in which a technology, model or approach is tested in practical

circumstances to demonstrate its feasibility. It is a phase in between the development or

laboratory phase and the (commercial) investment phase.6An overview of the MASPs of the 15 partner countries can be found in section 6.3.

Box 1. The four pillars of the food security policy

1. Increasing sustainable agricultural production

2. Ensuring equitable access to better nutrition

3. Improving inclusive access to markets

4. Enabling a better business climate

Box 2. What is meant with applied research?

Applied research is a form of systematic inquiry involving the practical

application of science. Applied research deals with solving practical problems

and generally employs empirical methodologies. (source: OECD)


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1.2 Available budgetA maximum budget of 4M is available for the first Call (2013/2014) that covers all

four pillars of the Dutch Food security policy. The foci of the consecutive Calls may

be reformulated according to the urgency of the needs as identified by the Food &

Business Knowledge Forum.

The maximum available budget per project for the first Call amounts to 50.000 for

duration of six months and 300.000 for a duration of 36 months. At project level, a

total of 20% co-funding (either in cash or in kind) of the total grant budget from

private practitioners organisations is a prerequisite. Additional co-funding by public

partners is encouraged but not required.

1.3 Validity of the call for proposalsProposals can be submitted continuously during the course of this first Call for

proposals. This Call closes at 15 April 2014.Proposals received will be collected

and assessed in three different rounds:

Ca l l 2 0 1 3 / 2 0 1 4 S t ar t i n g d a t e

a s s es sm e n t p r o c e d u r e

F o r m a l a p p r o v a l o f

t h e p r o j e c t s

F ir s t r o u n d 18 September 2013 1 December 2013

S e co n d r o u n d 15 January 2014 1 April 2014

T h ir d r o u n d 15 April 2014 1 July 2014

In case for a new round adjustments to the call are deemed necessary, WOTRO

reserves the right to publish these on the Food & Business research website. In case

the total budget of 4M is granted before the last submission deadline of 15 April

2014, the Call will be closed before that deadline.


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Chapter2: Aim / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

2 Aim2.1 Aim and objectives

The aim of the Applied Research Fund is to promote research supported

innovations that contribute to the food security and related business needsin partner countries within the framework of the Multi-Annual Strategic

Plans of the Dutch embassies.

Projects subsidized by the ARF should contribute to improving sustainable access to

sufficient and healthy food for the most vulnerable people, by showing the

applicability of newly developed or adjusted knowledge, insights, technologies,

tools, products or services.

Innovation (see box 3) in the context of the ARF therefore can be targeted at food

production and access to healthy food, and/or at enabling institutional

arrangements including those for the private sector, financing, markets and the

policy environment.

Rooting innovation in local and regional problems, socioeconomic conditions andcapabilities, is a prerequisite for meaningful impact. The ARF will provide grants

only for high-quality applied research projects that are practitioner driven and

evolve in a process of co-creation with different knowledge partners (both

practitioners and research organisations). Thus, projects should not only include

research activities, but also integrated knowledge management activities that

encourage active involvement of the different partners throughout the execution of

the project as well as communication activities with broader stakeholder groups.

Summarized, the specific objectives of the ARF are:

Contributing to development: contributing to the enhancement of sustainablefood security for the most vulnerable populations in partner countries;

Contributing to innovation: integrating practitioners and scientific knowledge injoint research (co-creation) in order to generate new knowledge and insights

that add new value to products, services, technologies and policies that are

readily available to governments, markets and society.

2.2 Foci

The ARF will fund projects contributing to at least one of the four foci whichcorrespond to the four pillars of the Food Security policy:

Box 3. What is meant with innovation?

Innovation is the process of developing new value adding ways to meet

existing, new or inarticulate needs. Innovation is accomplished through more

effective products, processes, services, technologies, policies or ideas that

are readily available to governments, markets and society.


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Focus one: Increasing sustainable agricultural production

Despite growing prosperity worldwide, 925 million people still suffer from hunger

while another billion people suffer from malnutrition. (Qualitative) malnutrition

hinders development and peoples productivity. Still, the demand for food is

expected to rise under the combined effects of population growth, urbanisation and

changing consumption patterns. In order to cover these increasing needs, the

production of food in developing countries needs to massively increase over the next

40 years. At the same time, climate change and the demand for biofuels decrease

the volume of arable land available for food production.

For sustainable improvement of yields, the productivity of land and labour have to

grow, while safeguarding efficient and sustainable (scarce) resource management.

The productivity of land can be increased for example by improved sowing-seed, use

of fertilizers, irrigation, reducing pre- and post-harvest losses. The productivity of

labour can be increased among others by providing farmers with greater access to a

wide range of high value inputs that improve production security and provide

incentives to the farmer.

Focus two: Ensuring equitable access to better nutrition

Malnutrition severely hampers the quality of life and is an important constraint for

economic growth. Malnutrition in children leads to irreversible physical and mental

disorders. Investment in food quality is one of the most effective measures to

stimulate wellbeing of people and economic growth of countries. Malnutrition can be

caused by insufficient daily food intake, but also by lack of intake of essential

nutrients such as vitamins and essential metals. For the consumer to have access to

nutritious food, food must not only be available but the supply needs to be diverse

and accessible to the consumer. Consumer awareness on the importance of diverse,

nutritious, and healthy food may influence market supply and increase accessibility.

Moreover, nutritious food must be affordable for low-income consumers.

Focus three: Improving inclusive access to marketsThe market provides the bridge between producer and consumer. Regional and/or

local lack or surplus of food is due to malfunctioning local, regional and global

markets, restrictive rule of law and absent or malfunctioning infrastructure.

Transparency of markets with easy access to information on demands, supplies and

prices can contribute to empower local farmers and entrepreneurs against

established market powers and increase their access to local/regional and global

markets. Innovations in information sharing and in enabling institutional

arrangements that ensure rule of law and/or provide institutional infrastructure

supporting market access of local producers are also included.

Focus four: Enabling a better business climate

The private sector has an important role in ensuring food security. It can contribute

to increased and sustainable food production, more efficient food systems,

employment opportunities, diversification of economies and tax incomes. However, a

favourable local environment for entrepreneurship is needed for the local as well as

for the international corporate sector to be encouraged to invest. Such an

environment may include incentives for local rural activity by markets and

government (facilitation, regulation and encouraging policies); local and regional

markets that bridge production and consumption, including institutional

arrangements and policies for financing and legislation; logistics; a functioning

environment for private enterprises including rule of law; and technological and

educational infrastructures.


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2.3 Target groupsThe ultimate target group to reap the benefits of this programme consists of the

most vulnerable segments of the population in developing countries, i.e. the poor,

food insecure people and people suffering from malnutrition, especially women and

children.

Since women are actively involved in local food production, selling and feeding,

they are also important in the intermediate and most immediate target group.

The intermediate target group consists of those individuals and organisations that

will be directly impacted by the outcomes of the programme, that is to say those

that will adapt, adjust and apply newly generated knowledge and insights in order

to wield new tools and technologies and apply new perspectives for action for pro-

poor sustainable development. This intermediate target group will be found

primarily among primary producers (farmers), consumers and the various for-profit

entrepreneurs along the food chains, and among individuals and organisations

involved in governance and management (central and local government and NGOs

active in the food and business sector) and institutions representing (professional)

end-users (cooperatives, unions, farmers associations, chambers of commerce,

business associations).

Finally, the most immediate target group consists of local practitioners (such as

entrepreneurs and policymakers). With the help of researchers they will submit

proposals under the ARF. The research project will be instrumental in reaching the

intermediate and ultimate target groups described above.


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Chapter3: Guidelines for applicants / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

3 Guidelines for applicants3.1 Who can apply

A consortium applying for the ARF should consist of at least two partners that

integrate different kinds of knowledge and execute a project as an effort of co-

creation:

1. A private or public practitioner organisation from one of the 15 partner countriesof Dutch development cooperation acting as the main applicant.7

2. A research organisation from a partner country or from the Netherlands, actingas a co-applicant.8

In the execution of the project at least one researcher from a partner country must

be involved. The involvement of additional partners, acting as co-applicant is

encouraged.

The consortium members will steer the process of demand articulation, translate

demands into relevant research questions, formulate and submit the proposal,

conduct the research, coordinate knowledge sharing and support the application,

dissemination and communication of the project results to local stakeholders as well

as to the Food & Business Knowledge Forum.

The main applicant organisation will take responsibility for the project secretariat,

the day-to-day management and all financial affairs of the project. The

representative of the main applicant organisation should hold a senior position and

will act as project coordinator and point of contact with NWO-WOTRO.

3.2 What can be applied forThe project application must show how activities will contribute to the two following

objectives of the ARF (see section 2.1):

- Contributing to development: contributing to the enhancement of sustainablefood security for the most vulnerable populations in partner countries. Alignment

with the objectives of the MASP of the embassy of the relevant partner country(-

ies). How soon, by whom and with what benefit for whom will the new

knowledge be used?

- Contributing to innovation: integrating practitioners and scientific knowledge injoint research (co-creation) in order to generate new knowledge and insights

that add value through new products, processes, services, technologies, policies

or ideas that are readily available to governments, markets and society.

7For a definition ofpractitioners organisationssee footnote 1. Dutch partner countries are listed

in section 6.3.8Research organisations include universities and higher education institutions that:

- have a public task, carry out independent research and are financed for at least 50% bypublic means;

- have no profit motive other than that for the purposes of further research;- whose researchers enjoy freedom of publication in the international academic literature.

For this call DLO and TNO are also included as research organisations.


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As innovation is basically a continuous and iterative process, a clear process design

should be developed, including effective working procedures.

Geographical focus

Projects should concern challenges or opportunities of practitioners based in (one of

the) Dutch development partner countries listed in section 6.3 and may include a

regional focus.

Budget

The subsidy contribution requested is minimum 50.000 for a six month period

with a maximum of 300,000 for a three year period.

Reimbursable costs

All participating organisations can reimburse costs that are directly attributable to

the project. The reimbursable costs of the for-profit practitioners organisations

should not exceed 50% of the total grant budget. For determining the amount of

reimbursable costs per item, the legal regulations of the individuals employing

organisation is guiding. However, maximum limits are put for specific cost-items.

The following reimbursable cost categories are distinguished:

I. Personnel costs:- Salaries for personnel, which should be guided by the organisations norms

and legal regulations for the country concerned. These salaries should not

exceed the maximum gross (before tax) full-time month rates of 3200

for support staff, 4500 for junior staff and 6500 for senior staff;

- Overhead costs (for the employing organisation(s); including office space,basic facilities, administrative and technical assistance, consumables and

depreciation costs) up to a maximum of 10% of the total grant.

II. Innovation costs:-

Travel expenses for consortium partners and accommodation costs of theexpenses incurred in short trips (


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3.3 When can applications be submittedApplications can be submitted continuously during 2013 and until 15 April 2014. At

respectively 18 September 2013, 15 January 2014, and 15 April 2014 all

applications that have been received at 12:00 noon CET, will be evaluated. Only

admissible applications that are of good quality will be selected for funding (up to a

total maximum of 4M). The evaluation and selection procedure will take about 2

months. For an overview of the procedure, please see section 4.1

3.4 Preparing an applicationConsortia applying for a grant are advised to write their applications for a broad

audience: proposals should be clear and comprehensible to international

practitioners (from the corporate sector, development practice and policy sectors)

and other research experts from different disciplinary backgrounds. For details

about the application form, please see sections 6.1 and 6.2.

3.5 Impact pathways, monitoring & evaluationAwarded projects must contribute to enhanced food security for the most vulnerable

people in one of the 15 Dutch development partner countries and be relevant to the

objectives of the Multi-Annual Strategic Plan of the Dutch Embassy involved. Each

project should explicate how the project works towards the realisation of the two

objectives of the ARF by sketching an impact pathway (for an example see section

6.4). In this pathway, it is envisioned how the activities result in or contribute to

outcomes and impact, with verifiable indicators for the output and outcome levels.

Project evaluation

The project will be evaluated at the end of the projects running time by self-

assessment which includes a workshop of the project team organised by the

consortium and a discussion of the results with stakeholders from outside the

project team. The final report will be based on a reflection on the projects impact

pathway and its indicators and the conclusions of the workshop. For projects with a

duration of more than one year, an annual progress report is required consisting of

a reflection on the impact pathway and a one page narrative description of the

progress of the project. The progress and final reports will be shared with the Food

& Business Knowledge Forum. WOTRO reserves the right to externally review

projects under the ARF.

Evaluation ARF at large

Strengthening a learning culture in a broader group of stakeholders bringing about

national and international knowledge flows is extremely important for enhancing

development impact of the ARF at large. Therefore, the project participants must be

prepared to participate in activities for the exchange of experiences (both

challenges and best practices) and results with participants of other projects

subsidized by the ARF. These activities will be organised in consultation with the

Food & Business Knowledge Forum that is responsible for agenda-setting of future

Calls of the ARF.

3.6

Submitting an application

Consortia should use the correct and completed project application form and must

fulfil all criteria with respect to format, length of text, language etc. Handwritten

applications will not be taken into consideration. The application should be


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submitted in electronic form (PDF format), by using NWOs digital project- and

application system that is assessable via the NWO website (www.nwo.nl) (for

instructions see section 6.1).

All applications will be screened for compliance with the formal criteria as described

in section 4. Applicants will receive written confirmation of receipt within two weeks

after the deadline, stating whether the application has been accepted or refused.

3.7 General regulations and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)Applications must fulfil the conditions described in this Call text. With regard to

ownership of results, such as on Intellectual Property Rights, Confidentiality of

Results and Knowledge transfer to Developing Countries, the conditions as specified

in the WOTRO Regulations9apply. The WOTRO regulations describe that project

Partners together are required to conclude a Consortium Agreement. The first

payment of an awarded grant will only be made after the agreement, signed by all

Project Partners has been received and approved by WOTRO. The Consortium

Agreement must take into account the WOTRO regulations (and additional specific

Programme/Call conditions), including a description on how, where relevant,

Developing Countries will be able to benefit from the (patented) Results under

market conditions that safeguard local affordability including but not restricted to

sublicenses for humanitarian purposes.

In addition, submitting a proposal implies that the consortium agrees with the use

for free of the Results by the Kingdom of The Netherlands, should the occasion arise.

The rights of Results can only be transferred by its owner to a third party on the

condition that this stipulation is included. With regard to accountability of the

projects, the General Provisions of the NWO regulation on granting apply.10

9WOTRO regulations.10NWO regulation on granting.


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Chapter4: Assessment procedure / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

4 Assessment procedure4.1 Procedure

The Call for proposals 2013/2014 is open continuously (until 15 April 2014). In three

rounds applications received will be assessed, ranked and selected for funding

according to the following time scheme.

Assessment

Applications will first be assessed for formal criteria and when eligible, assessed for

quality based on selection criteria by a Pool of International Experts (PIE) composed

of researchers and experts from the corporate sector, development practice and

policy. PIE members are selected by the Programme Committee (see section 4.3).

Based on the quality assessment of the PIE, the Programme Committee will rank

the proposals for quality. Only proposals that rank as excellent or very good are

considered for funding. Highest ranked proposals will be awarded depending on the

available Call budget.

All applicants will be informed in writing about the outcome of the selection

procedure. A project awarded a grant should start within three months after the

granting date.

Appeals procedure

If a consortium objects to a decision taken by the Programme Committee, it can

lodge a complaint with the General Board of NWO through the NWO AppealsCommittee. Any written appeal against a decision taken by the Programme

Committee must be lodged within six weeks after the day on which the notice of

this decision was sent.

8 May 2013 Opening Round 1

Application forms available via the NWO website

18 September, 12:00 CET Starting date of the assessment procedureof Round 1

Opening Round 2

Application forms available via the NWO website

September - November 2013 Assessment of applications Round 1 by the Poolof International Experts

November 2013 Decision applications Round 1 by the Programme

Committee/ notification of applicants1 December 2013 Approval of budgets for awarded projects Round

1/ formal letter of approval

15 January 2014, 12.00 CET Starting date of the assessment procedureof Round 2

Opening Round 3Application forms available via the NWO website

January March 2014 Assessment of applications Round 2 by the Poolof International Experts

March 2014 Decision applications Round 2 by the Programme

Committee/ notification of applicants

1 April 2014 Approval of budgets for awarded projects Round

2/ formal letter of approval

15 April 2014, 12.00 CET Starting date of the assessment procedureof Round 3

April June 2014 Assessment of applications Round 3 by the Pool

of International Experts

June 2014 Decision applications Round 3 by the Programme

Committee/ notification of applicants

1 July 2014 Approval of budgets for awarded projects Round3/ formal letter of approval


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4.2 CriteriaAll applications will be assessed on formal eligibility criteria and subsequently for a

fixed set of selection criteria that are in line with the aim and objectives of the ARF.

Formal criteria

Formal criteria include:

- Timely application by using NWOs digital project- and application systemIris/ISAAC;

- Signed application form;- Format, length of text, language;- Composition of consortium;- Budget conditions;- Completed annexes:

- CVs of consortium members;- Letters of support outlining the availability and commitment of consortium

members, including the valorised co-funding commitment of private

practitioner organisation(s) (signed by heads of the

organisations/departments);

- A draft Consortium Agreement (signed by heads of theorganisations/departments of the consortium members);

- Approval by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on whether the proposal aligns withthe objectives of the MASP(s) of the partner country(-ies) concerned.

WOTRO will organise this check after the deadline of each Round, consortia

should not contact the embassies themselves for this.

Selection criteria

The following selection criteria are defined, each of which carries equal weight in the

ranking process and should meet the minimum quality standard. Only proposals

that are excellent or very good can be considered for funding.

a) Contribution to development:- Extent to which the problem or opportunity analysis and research

questions are rooted in local practitioners demands;

- Potential to contribute to one or more of the foci of the ARF;- Potential to sustainably serve the food security needs of the ultimate

target group of ARF;

- Potential to sustainably contribute to local capacity development.b) Contribution to innovation:

- Complementarities and level of integration of scientific knowledge andpractitioners knowledge (co-creation) resulting in novel outcomes;

- Adequacy, feasibility and soundness of the researchmethodology/approach (involving systematic inquiry and/or comparison);

- Potential for application of the expected research output.c) Project feasibility:

- Coherence and synergy in project objectives and activities;- Appropriateness and efficient use of requested budget;- Track record of the consortium organisations;- Quality of impact pathway and indicators.

4.3 Governance of the ProgrammeThe Programme Committee, operating under a mandate from the WOTRO Board,

consists of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NWO-WOTRO, the Top


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sectorsAgri&Foodand Horticulture & Propagation Materials, and the Steering group

of the Food & Business Knowledge Forum. The composition of the Programme

Committee will be published on the Food & Business research website.

The Programme Committee is the decision making body of the ARF and responsible

for:

- Formulating subsequent ARF Calls;- Allocating research funding to project proposals, based on the advice of Pool of

International Experts (PIE);

- Securing alignment with the Steering group of the Food & Business KnowledgeForum on the definition of calls and informing them on progress and results of

the ARF Calls;

- Appointment of the PIE.The individual members of the Programme Committee are responsible for timely

informing and aligning with the bodies they are representing.

The Steering group of the Food & Business Knowledge Forum is responsible for

overall knowledge management of the Food & Business Knowledge Agenda. The

Steering group will share and discuss the knowledge generated by the ARF with the

Forum, thus encouraging broad application of the knowledge generated and

safeguarding alignment of consecutive ARF Calls foci with evolving knowledge needs

as formulated by the Forum.

The Pool of International Experts (PIE) is composed of (international) researchers

and experts from the corporate sector, development practice and policy and

installed by the Programme Committee. The composition of PIE will be published on

the Food & Business research website. However, the identity of the individual

experts consulted for a specific project will not be disclosed in public, nor to any of

the applicants.

NWO-WOTRO is responsible for the secretariat of the Programme Committee and for

all (financial and other) administration with regard to the ARF, including organising

the assessment procedures and fulfilling the ARF reporting conditions put by the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


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Chapter5: Other information / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

5 Other information5.1 Contact

For questions about ARF and this call for proposals please contact:

WOTRO Science for Global Development

Food & Business research website

E-mail: [email protected]

Day-to-day coordination:Ms K. de Vries, ARF Program Officer

[email protected]

+31 70 344 0609

General information, forms and administration:Ms Ellen Rijkschroeff, Food & Business Research Staff [email protected]

+31 70 344 09 74

Programme development:Dr Cora Govers, Food & Business Research Programme Coordinator

[email protected]

+31 70 3440673

Postal address:

NWO-WOTRO

P.O. Box 93120

2509 AC The Hague

The Netherlands

Visiting address:

NWO-WOTRO

Laan van Nieuw Oost Indi 300

2593 CE The Hague

The Netherlands


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Chapter 6 Annexes / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

6 Annexes6.1 General instructions for applicants

The application form must be completed in English. For some items on the form, a

maximum number of words is stated. Do not exceed this number and fill in the word

count. Your application may be disqualified if the maximum number of words stated is

exceeded.

Applications should be submitted in electronic form (PDF format), by using NWOs

digital project- and application system that is assessable via the NWO website

(www.nwo.nl) For applications submitted before 12 December 2013 9.00 hrs CET use

the IRIS system, for applications submitted from 17 December 2013 9.00 hrs CET use

the ISAAC system. In between 12 and 17 December 2013 it is not possible to submit

an application because NWO will then switch to the new digital project- andapplication system ISAAC.

Specific guidelines for the electronic submission can be found on the Food & Business

research website (www.nwo.nl/foodandbusiness).

6.2 Specific instructions for applicantsExplanatory notes to each question on the application form are provided below (the

numbers refer to the questions on the application form).

Registration

1. TitleThe project title must state the country or countries where the research will be

carried out.

2. ProjectPlease indicate the following project details

2a Focus

Specify the focus or foci of the project proposal as outlined in section 2.2.

2b Duration

Specify the duration of the project expressed in months.

2c Partner country(-ies)

Specify the partner country(-ies) where the research will be carried out. For

eligible partner countries see section 6.3.

2dMain field(s) of research

For all applications it is compulsory to fill out one or more research fields

that correspond to the subject of your research proposal. You can only refer

to the descriptions and codes from the NWO research field list. Please find

the list via: http://www.nwo.nl/researchfields.

3. Composition of the project team3a Consortium

Provide the details of the consortium members, i.e. those organisations and

persons that carry the responsibility of the project.


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Chapter6: Annexes / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

For Type of organisationindicate if the participating organisation classifies

as a Practitioners organisation: Private for profit (A1), private non-profit

(A2) or public (A3) or a Research organisation (B1).

3b Project staff

Provide a list of the project staff members, i.e. personnel to be engaged for

carrying out the project. Provide the name of the staff member; name and

type of the organisation employing the staff member. Furthermore, indicate

time involvement by specifying the number of fulltime working days and full

time equivalents (fte) over the full project period. Indicate the staff

members role in the project (e.g. researcher, supervisor, local coordinator,

advisor, etc)

Research proposal

4. Summary of the project proposalProvide a summary of your proposal. The summary should describe briefly, in no

more than 150 words, the practitioners knowledge question and the problem

addressed, contribution to the two objectives of the ARF, co-creation approach

and envisaged application in practice. Please specify the number of words used.

5. Project descriptionThis narrative outline of the project should include the following aspects:

5a Background and rationale

Provide a brief analysis and contextualisation of problem and opportunity

addressed. Specify how the project is rooted in local demand and make use

of the analysis of the Multi Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) of partner

country(-ies) for this. Indicate project related baseline data that correspond

with the outcome indicators of the impact pathway, as far as available.

5b Objectives

Specify the projects objectives in terms of its contribution to the main aimand specific objectives the ARF programme (contribution to development

/contribution to innovation), including a rationale of how the project will

reach the intermediate and ultimate target groups.

5c Research questions and methods

Specify the research questions and methods to be used. Make clear how the

methods allow for a systematic inquiry involving the practical application of

science.

5d Activities

Indicate the activities to be carried out as part of the project including the

knowledge sharing activities of the project experiences and results beyond

the consortium in broader networks.

5e Sustainability

Motivate expectations with regard to sustainability of the expected outcome

and pathways to a broader local/regional application.

The total project description should not exceed a maximum of 1500 words.

Please specify the number of words used.

6. Impact pathwayPlease complete the impact pathway diagram for the project (max. 1 page). An

example of an impact pathway is provided in section 6.5. For impact specify how

the project attributes to one of the four foci of the ARF.

Research outputs and their immediate utilization by consortium members can be

reckoned as falling under the direct span of control of the research project.Research outcomes relate to the up-take of these outputs by external

stakeholders and the effects thereof. In order to be able to monitor and assess

the effectiveness of the project, verifiable indicators should be presented for the

output and outcome levels. The following table mayserve as a frame of reference


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and source of inspiration. Please note that appropriate outputs and outcomes

(and indicators thereof) depend on the specific objectives of the project and the

level or scale of intervention of the project.

Samples of research outputs, outcomes and indicators

Narrative description Indicators

Re se a r c h o u t p u t s

- New insights in productiontechnologies gained,applied, and shared inpolicies, NGO programmes

and extension services

- Publications, data-sets, models, andpatenting request of new productivetechniques and technologies

- Policy documents, programmedescriptions, and extension materialfocusing on introducing new productiontechniques and technologies

- Pilots/proof of concept- Workshops/trainings

- New knowledge andinsights gained, applied,

and shared concerning

efficient and appropriatemethods and technologiesfor harvesting, processing,storage, transport and

packaging

- Publications, data-sets, models, andpatenting request of new methods and

technologies used along the food chain

- Policy documents, programmedescriptions, and extension materialfocusing on new food chain techniquesand technologies

- Pilots/proof of concept- Workshops/trainings

- Knowledge gained, applied,and shared on appropriatetechniques for producingfood products with a highernutritional value

- Publications, data-sets, models, andpatenting request of new knowledge andtechniques for enhancing nutritional value

- Policy documents, programmedescriptions, and extension material

focusing on new nutritional valueenhancing techniques and technologies

- Pilots/proof of concept- Workshops/trainings- Insights gained, applied,

and shared in national andregional trends in consumerneeds and demands

- Publications, and data-sets on insights inconsumer demands

- Extension and communication material onconsumer needs and demands in theagro-food sector

- Workshops/trainings

- Detailed knowledge andinsights gained, applied,and shared concerning the

actual functioning of thelocal, national and regionalmarkets and thebottlenecks involved

- Publications and data-sets of marketanalyses and trade restrictedness


- Enhanced insights gained,applied, and shared in the

potential for local, nationaland regional marketintegration and integrated

chain approaches

- Publications calling for exploiting identifiedmarket opportunities and addressing

identified market constraints- Policy briefs, lobby and advocacy

materials, and other communication

products and services focusing onimproved market functioning andintegrated chain approaches


Re se a r c h o u t c om e s ( e x t e r n a l u s e )

- Uptake of new agriculturalproduction techniques andtechnologies by earlyadopters

- Emergence of new agricultural productsmarketed by private providers

- Numbers (male : female) of earlyadopters of new agricultural production

techniques- Increase of farm-level

production of earlyadopters

- Amount of food produced in metric tonsfor selected agricultural products

- Uptake of new food chain - Emergence of new food chain products


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techniques andtechnologies by earlyadopters

and services marketed by privateproviders

- Numbers (male : female) of earlyadopters of new food chain techniquesand technologies

- Increase of productivity ofearly adopters of new foodchain techniques and

technologies

- Figures of food losses in the various stepsalong selected food chains

- Uptake of new nutritionalvalue enhancing techniques

and technologies by earlyadopters in agriculturalproduction and along the

food chains

- Emergence of new nutritional valueenhancing products and services

marketed by private providers- Numbers (male : female) of early

adopters of new nutritional value

enhancing techniques and technologies inagricultural production and along the foodchains

- Increase of production offood products withenhanced nutritional value

at farm level and along thefood chains

- Production figures at farm level and alongthe food chain

-

New institutionalarrangements, rules and

regulations addressingmarket functioning andconstraints

-

White papers, proceedings of Parliaments,publication of new laws and rules and

regulations by authorities at various levels

- Diversification of players,products and services (newprivate sector initiatives)along the food chains

- Figures and numbers on diversification ofactors, products and services alongselected food chains

- Increase of productivityand value added along thefood chains

- Productivity and income figures of early-responding new private sector initiatives

- Uptake by early-respondingprivate sector actors of new

local, national andinternational food chaininitiatives

- Emergence of new local, national andinternational food chains

7. Project approach and track record7a Co-creation

Describe the role and added value of each of the consortium partners in

terms of experience, skills, know-how and expertise. Describe how the

implementation of the research project actually interacts with the

practitioner organisations policy, institutional or primary business and its

stakeholders. If applicable, describe the consortium partners past

experience with joint research activities. This section should not exceed a

maximum of 500 words. Please specify the number of words used.7b References

Provide a list of a maximum of five key publications of each consortium

member. You may refer to reports, policy or company briefs, websites,

scientific manuscripts etc. Please provide the following details in full:

authors, year, title, and make sure referees can track the publication (for

example by providing the name of the journal or series in which the

publication appeared, web-links, report contact details, etc.).

Funds required

Please consult section 3.2 of the brochure before completing this section.

8. Budget estimatesCalculation should be as follows: b + c = a in which a=total budget; b= budget

requested from ARF and c = co-funding by private partners of the consortium,

which amounts to 20% of a.


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8a Total budget

Total budget, including items b and c.

8b Funds requested from ARF

See alsosection 3.2. Requested budget for project costs:

Please present estimates for:

- Personnel costs, including the number days and fte on a full-time basisof temporary personnel to be affiliated, and overhead costs (max

10%);

- Innovation cost, including costs of materials (durables andconsumables) and travel and accommodation costs for

consortium/project staff members (max 20%);

- Costs for knowledge sharing activities aimed at stakeholders beyondthe consortium/staff (max 15%).

8c Amount and source of co-funding expected

Sources, type and the approximate amounts of co-funding may be

presented here. Note that the co-funding from all private partners together

must amount at least to 20% of the total ARF grant budget (see also

section 3.2).

Personnel input and material contributions may be accepted as co-funding

on the condition that they are capitalised and that they form an integral

part of the project. Material resources pledged must be presented at cost.

Commercial rates will not be accepted. For pledges of equipment, take

previous depreciation and intensity of use into account. Pledges in the form

of supplies of services are possible only if the service can be itemised as an

identifiable new endeavour. The service should not already be available at

one of the other consortium parties. Applicants may wish to claim services

already supplied (such as a database, software or plant lines) as in-kind co-

funding. Acceptance is not automatic in such cases, but dependant on

NWO's approval. Further negotiations will take place to decide whether a

specific value can be determined for this supply of services.

Signatures

The application must be signed by all members of the consortium. Faxed, electronic

or scanned signatures will be accepted.

Annexes

Please attach the following annexes:

- CVs(max. 1 page each) of the consortium members involved in theapplication;

- Letters of supportoutlining the availability and commitment of Consortiummembers, including the valorised co-funding commitment of private practitioner

organisation(s) (signed by heads of the organisations/departments) (max 2

pages each);

The letters of support should be written in English and addressed to the project

leader. Information on co-funding should be made explicit in terms of pledged

financial or capitalised material or personnel contribution. The amounts

presented in letters of support should correspond to the amounts put forward in

the budget. After the research proposal has been approved, NWO may ask the

private partner for re-confirmation of the co-funding.

- Draft Consortium Agreement;A Project Consortium Agreement should be inalignment with the WOTRO Regulations. Please see the checklist for drawing up

a Project Consortium Agreement in the WOTRO Regulations. The draft

Consortium Agreement should be signed by heads of theorganisations/departments of the consortium members.

After the funding is granted for the projects, NWO may advise on patent

matters and will assist in finalising contractual arrangements between partners


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who are entitled to and wish to sign an option agreement or wish to acquire

exclusive or non-exclusive commercial rights to IP.

No other annexes are allowed.

6.3 Partner countries of Dutch development cooperationThe Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has indicated 15 partner countries for Dutch

international cooperation. A project must focus on a demand of a practitioners organisation

that is locally established in (one of) these partner countries and aligns with the objectives

of the Multi-Annual Strategic Plans (MASPs) of the Dutch embassies in these partner

countries. The partner countries as well as the links to the MASPs are listed in the table

below. After a proposal has been submitted the WOTRO bureau will ask the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs for a formal check on the required alignment of the proposal with the MASP

of the partner country(-ies) concerned.

Partner countries Link to MASPs Website embassies

Afghanistan MASP(EN) http://afghanistan.nlembassy.org/

Bangladesh MASP(EN) http://bangladesh.nlembassy.org/

Benin MASP(FA) http://larepubliquedubenin.nlambassade.org/

Burundi MASP(EN) http://burundi.nlembassy.org/

Ethiopia MASP(EN) http://ethiopia.nlembassy.org/

Ghana MASP(EN) http://ghana.nlembassy.org/

Indonesia MASP(NL) http://indonesia.nlembassy.org/

Kenya MASP(EN) http://kenia.nlembassy.org/

Mali MASP(NL) http://lemali.nlambassade.org/

Mozambique MASP(EN) http://mozambique.nlembassy.org/

Palestinian Territories MASP(EN) http://pal.nlmission.org/

Rwanda MASP(EN) http://rwanda.nlembassy.org/

South Sudan MASP(EN) http://southsudan.nlembassy.org/

Uganda MASP(EN) http://uganda.nlembassy.org/

Yemen MASP(EN) http://yemen.nlembassy.org/


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Chapter 6 Annexes / Food & Business Applied Research Fund (ARF)

6.4 Schematic examples of impact pathways11

11Freely after T. Walker et. al. (2008), Strategic Guidance for Ex Post Impact Assessment of Agricultural Research, Science Council of the

Research. It is to be noted that not every possible project will show the same sequential differentiation of steps.

Inputs: research

investments

Outputs: most

immediate results of a

research project

Outcomes: external use, adoption or influence of a projects outputs by

various users

Impact: c

cond

Next users Final users

(adopters)

Adopter-level changes

Project: improved

well-being through

development and

adoption of a high-

yielding cultivar

New high-yielding

variety produced and

tested

Promotion by

extension

workers

Farmers grow the

new variety

Increase in farm-level

production

Targeted

adoption

levels realised

Project: economic

growth by enhancing

market functioning and

integration

Informed

recommendations on

market reforms

Advisory

bodies and

advocacy

Department of

Economic Affairs

Changes in rules and

regulations

Increased

trade and

investments


24/24

Published by:

Netherlands Organisation

for Scientific Research

Visitors address:

Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indi 300

2593 CE The Hague

The Netherlands

September 2013

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