Attention all farmers, innovators, and agricultural visionaries! The call for applications for innovation projects in the Agriculture Sector is your chance to turn your groundbreaking ideas into reality.

From new farming techniques to cutting-edge technologies, this call is inviting the best and brightest minds in Agriculture to share their visions for a more sustainable, productive, and equitable food system.

If you’ve got a game-changing concept or an innovative solution for the agriculture sector, now is the time to step into the limelight and make your mark on the future of food.

Innovation Projects in the Agriculture Sector Grant Overview

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition has issued a request for proposals to address major difficulties in reducing short-lived climate pollutants in agriculture.

This appeal intends to close significant knowledge, implementation, and financial gaps in the industry, hence creating conducive environments for SLCP mitigation.

Solutions supported by this call are expected to assist sector players and governments in implementing and scaling up mitigation action under the CCAC’s 2030 objectives.

Who Can Apply for the Innovation Projects in the Agriculture Sector?

The CCAC can only support non-profit organizations, which include NGOs, IGOs, and governments.

For-profit organizations cannot receive CCAC money, although they can engage in projects as stakeholders, collaborators, or co-funders. Applicants are urged to incorporate for-profit organizations in creating project proposals and during project implementation, especially if their ownership of the proposed solution is critical to the project’s success.

Objectives of Projects in the Agriculture Sector

Projects submitted to this call for ideas should use new approaches and technology to increase the speed, size, and accessibility of mitigation action in a developing region, country, or state.

Proposed initiatives must cover one of the following priority areas.

Focus area 1: Increasing the adoption of sustainable intensification technologies for livestock, such as breeding, feed enhancement, and herd health.
Focus area 2: Moving agriculture subsidies away from water (for rice cultivation), fertilizer use, and animal numbers toward climate-friendly methods.
Focus area 3: Integrating digital technology into agricultural extension services to raise knowledge of climate mitigation strategies in the livestock and rice sectors.
Focus area 4: Developing creative business strategies to incorporate agricultural methane into voluntary carbon markets.

Focus area 5: Piloting novel straw management strategies to reduce agricultural residue burning.

Note: This request for proposals is for projects that apply mitigating solutions. Applicants interested in supporting national policy and planning projects should wait until the CCAC requests proposals for national planning and policy projects, which will be released in the second quarter of this year. More information about these opportunities will be posted on the request for proposal announcements page.

Additional focus areas may be added to future calls for proposals as new gaps are identified and existing gaps are addressed.

Project Eligibility Criteria

To be considered, project proposals must be:

• Less than 24 months.
• Compliant with the CCAC gender requirements.
• Completed
• Useful
• Delivery on time.
• Within the budget range specified in the request for proposals

Proposals that do not satisfy these minimum requirements will not be considered.

Successful proposals will demonstrate clear alignment with the CCAC’s Sector Engagement Strategy and recommended sector-specific SLCP mitigation actions, as well as:

• Provide a fair estimate of the project’s SLCP mitigation potential and the associated co-benefits for climate, air quality, and development.
• Show no negative influence on vulnerable populations or wildlife, and, if possible, have a beneficial benefit.
• Show support for the targeted governments and other relevant leaders. Provide co-funding or in-kind contributions.
• Have resources available to undertake the project, if and when it is approved.
• Be related to existing objectives, initiatives, or needs in the targeted region, country, or state.
• Provide a plan to maintain the project’s results after completion.

Multidisciplinary cooperation, as well as participation from suitable commercial sector parties, are encouraged.

Learn more about the CCAC’s general project review standards on our Applicant Resources page.

Other Requirements

To be considered for CCAC financing, all applicants must submit their most recent three (3) audited financial statements. These statements can be supplied with the initial application form or throughout the evaluation process.

In addition to the qualifying requirements listed above, qualified implementers (excluding United Nations agencies) must meet the following criteria:

• Have enough funds to complete the contract and pay all current obligations (financial health).
• Be able to show documentation of registration and non-profit status.
• Applicants must have a solid performance record with UNEP/CCAC and have not been suspended or debarred by the organization or another UN agency. UNEP/CCAC also considers entities on the Security Council Resolution Lists to be ineligible for UNEP/CCAC agreements.
• Have the required rules, regulations, or processes in place to avoid misconduct and corruption, particularly in the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH).

In general, project budgets should restrict costs for incidental acquisition to a strict minimum:

• For agreements of $200,000 or less: up to $20,000 or 15% of the entire sum, whichever is lower.
• To identify agreements over $200,000: up to $40,000, or 15% of the total sum.

Contractual services, equipment, vehicles, furniture, operating and other direct costs, supplies, commodities, and materials are all examples of incidental procurement costs. The guidance provided with the application form contains more information.

Important Timelines Dates and Documents

• Deadline to submit project idea note: April 30, 2024.
• Longlist alert: May 15, 2024.
• Full project proposal deadline (for approved candidates only): June 14, 2024.
• Award notification: Q4 2024.
• Expected project start date: Q1 2025.
• Form for application (.docx)
• Tools for Applicants
• CCAC’s Sector Engagement Approaches

This call will have a two-stage submission process, including a project idea note and a comprehensive financing proposal.

The first stage is this call for ideas, which invites candidates to submit a project concept note. Applicant eligibility and project feasibility will be evaluated based on the idea notes presented, and longlisted applicants will be chosen.

Longlisted applicants will be invited to the second stage of the application process, during which they will have one (1) month to create a detailed financing proposal.

Full funding proposals received by the deadline will be considered by members of the CCAC Secretariat, Funding Task Team, and Board, in collaboration with relevant CCAC Partners.

Before a final decision is made, applicants may be asked to present their proposals in greater detail and answer follow-up questions.