Photo above: Launch event for CultiAF at the FARA Science Week (15-20 July 2013) speakers from left Pascal Sanginga Senior (Programme Specialist Agriculture & Food Security IDRC) , Dominique Charron (Director of Environment IDRC), Dr Fina Opio (Executive Director ASARECA), Dr Tim Simalenga ( Executive Director CCARDESA), Mellissa Wood (Director AIFSC), Innocent Butare (Senior Program Specialist Agriculture and Food Security IDRC)
We are pleased to be partnering with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to offer a competitive fund called Cultivate Africa’s Future (CultiAF).
CultiAF contributes to both Canada’s and Australia’s commitment to combat hunger and food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa by harnessing the potential for adopting research innovation among the region’s smallholder farmers. CultiAF builds capacity and increases opportunities for scientists in the region through agricultural science and innovation research, which is key to enhancing Africa’s capacity to sustainably feed itself. The fund is managed by IDRC, with equal funding from IDRC and the Food Security Centre. This co-investment allows the Centre to leverage partner resources to deliver food security innovations to more people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
This unique 4-year C$15 million research partnership is operating as a competitive research grant program. In 2013, African and international research organisations were invited to compete for grants of up to CA$3 million dollars each to support innovative applied research. Under the call, research organisations from 10 countries – Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – were eligible.
Seven collaborative research projects were selected and are now underway. These projects will help smallholder farmers reduce post-harvest loss of crops; improve yields and livestock productivity through better water use; and improve nutrition. Resulting innovations are expected to be of use to other parts of Africa and will support national and regional food security efforts on the continent.
CultiAF represents a significant investment in research that will help promote food security in eastern and southern Africa by improving post-harvest management, nutrition and water use. Managed by IDRC, and funded equally by IDRC and AIFSC, CultiAF contributes to Canada’s and Australia’s commitment to combat hunger and food insecurity throughout the developing world.
Read about the launch of the CulitAF projects.
Read more about active CultiAF projects here
If you have queries about CultiAF please contact [email protected].
This competitive fund represents a new way of working and our partnership with IDRC is a new co-investment model that we hope to continue.