Closed for application

Accelerating Resilient Food Systems in Africa - ARFSA

Last checked on:
19 July 2023
Published on:
10 July 2023

The Accelerating Resilient Food Systems in Africa (ARFSA) programme provides support to civil society organisations, businesses and knowledge institutes working to increase food security in developing countries. Their knowledge and expertise help accelerate resilient food systems in Africa. This programme is permanently closed for applications. 

What is ARFSA?

The Accelerating Resilient Food Systems in Africa (ARFSA) programme aims to accelerate the resilience of local food systems in Africa and Yemen. To do this, the programme works on increasing productivity, stability, sustainability and value addition for national and regional markets. The programme helps organisations with proven experience to scale up and accelerate activities that significantly contribute to resilient local food systems. The goal is to develop local food systems that are more resilient to shocks such as geopolitical conflicts and climate change.

Response to the global food crisis

The ARFSA programme was developed in response to the global food crisis. ARFSA helps achieve the following sustainable development goals (SDGS) in developing countries:

  • SDG 2: ending hunger
  • SDG 5: gender equality
  • SDG 13: climate action.

Climate change and local conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, drive the global food crisis. Shortages and high prices make products like seeds and pesticides unaffordable and unavailable for vulnerable small farms and households. This threatens agricultural production.

For whom?

ARFSA supports partnerships that contribute to resilient food systems in Africa and Yemen. Partnerships can consist of civil society organisations, businesses and knowledge institutes.

Partnerships must carry out project activities that support food-insecure people and producers. Activities should focus on smallholder farmers and farmer households, paying special attention to women and youth.

Budget

The programme had one call with a total budget of €12 million. The minimum subsidy amount was €1 million per project, with a maximum of €2 million.

Countries 

ARFSA now has 6 active projects in the following countries:

Development cooperation countries Aid and trade combination countries
Burkina Faso Nigeria
Niger Senegal
South Sudan  
Uganda  

Read about the 6 ARFSA projects we granted a subsidy.

After your application

If we have selected your project, you will receive the subsidy amount in advance payments. 

Project management and reporting

Submitting a progress report

The organisation leading the project must report on its progress every project year. Please download and complete the 'ARFSA Annual progress report' template below. We will send you the 'Financial reporting tool' before the progress report submission deadline.

Reporting changes

Notify us of any project, partnership and/or budgetary changes. You need our approval in advance for specific changes. If you do not request our approval in advance, you risk losing your subsidy for the changed parts or the entire project. Contact your project advisor to notify us of any changes.

Submitting a final report

After completing your project, you must complete and submit a final report. We will add the template for this report when the ARFSA projects are almost completed. 

You must document all achieved results and costs and keep your project administration up to date. If we select your project for a random check, we will ask you for supporting documents. If you have any questions or problems, contact your project advisor.

Laws and regulations

More information

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency carries our ARFSA on behalf of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Questions about ARFSA? 

Commissioned by:
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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