The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Kenya, via the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) project, launches an open call for Direct Beneficiary Grants. These grants target Forest and Farm Producer Organizations and community conservation groups involved in farm and forest value chains with a positive environmental impact.
The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) is a collaboration between FAO, IIED, IUCN, and Agricord, funded by Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United States of America, and IKEA. FFF offers financial support and technical assistance to strengthen Forest and Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs) representing smallholders, rural women’s groups, local communities, and indigenous peoples’ institutions.
Forest and farm producers collectively have the potential to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and respond to climate change at landscape scales.
The objective of this open call is to grant funds for organizing forest and farm producers to develop farm forestry and landscape-based production systems, end-market driven and inclusive of gender and youth businesses in Baringo, Bomet, Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kisii, Laikipia, Machakos, Nakuru, Samburu, and Vihiga Counties.
Preference is given to proposals demonstrating the capacity to link forest and farm producers’ organizations with SMEs to enhance production quantity and quality, access to better markets, attaining standards through certifications, and implementing nature-positive actions.
Funding Information:
Successful applicants will receive grant values ranging between USD 20,000 to USD 100,000. Grants will be provided directly to successful beneficiary organizations in three separate installments based on grant size, activity nature, collaboration history with the organizations, and outcomes of technical and administrative visits by the FFF Country Facilitator.
FFF will disburse grants to successful applicants whose proposals include an investment component (purchase of small equipment/machines, tools, facilities/infrastructure, etc.) aiding value addition, productivity, and profitability.
Notably, for the investment component of proposals below USD 10,000, FAO-FFF will contribute 90%, and the beneficiary will contribute 10%. For proposals above USD 10,000, FAO-FFF will contribute 80%, and the beneficiary will contribute 20%. The co-financing requirement applies only to the investment component and not to the entire proposal cost (and activities not involving equipment/machinery/tools purchase).
Project Duration:
The proposed project should be implemented within 12 months.
Outcomes:
Kenya is one of the core countries supported by FFF Phase II, aiming to scale up the role of FFPOs to achieve Climate Resilient Landscapes and Improved Livelihoods. Phase II aims to achieve four outcomes:
Outcome 1: More enabling policy and legal frameworks for FFPOs through inclusive governance and cross-sectoral processes.
Outcome 2: Increased entrepreneurship, market access, and finance through gender equitable value chains, provided through new capacity for business incubation within FFPOs.
Outcome 3: Improved landscape-scale mitigation, adaptation, and climate resilience through direct FFPO engagement and integration with inclusive livelihood approaches.
Outcome 4: Improved and equitable access to social and cultural services, emphasizing gender equality in forest and farm sectors, including FFPOs.
Eligibility:
Applicants/Organizations must meet the following requirements:
- Active farmer-based organization duly registered by relevant Kenyan Government agencies/departments as:
- Cooperative Societies (SACCOs, Cooperatives)
- Self Help Group (CBO, Women/Youth Group)
- Community Forest Associations, Conservancies, and other conservation groups
- Associations
- NGOs
- Located and operating within the targeted counties (Baringo, Bomet, Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kisii, Laikipia, Machakos, Nakuru, Samburu, and Vihiga Counties)
- Farmer/producer organizations dealing with farm and/or forestry value chains/products and actively engaged in agricultural/agribusiness and/or environmental conservation activities within their communities
- Demonstrated positive impact of past/current activities and number of members to benefit from the proposed project
- Demonstrated how proposed project activities will achieve FFF Outcomes 2 & 3 and other outcomes
- Active bank account registered in the organization’s name and ability to provide at least 3 months certified bank statement
- Not bankrupted, liquidated, or under court administration
- Willing and able to contribute a minimum of 10% cash to the investment component in the budget.
The application deadline is Monday, April 15th, 2024, at 5.00 P.M. Applications are strictly through the provided application platform.
Appy here
Source: FarmersReviewAfrica