Accelerating Resilient Food Systems in Africa - ARFSA
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. The deadline for submitting a proposal was 18 December 2023, 15:00 CET.
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 by 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.
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 has one call with a total budget of 12 million euros. Per project, the minimum subsidy amount is 1 million euros, and the maximum is 2 million euros.
Civil society organisations and knowledge institutes do not have to provide their own contribution. Note that we do not include own contributions in the maximum subsidy amount available per project.
For each business in the partnership, a maximum subsidy of €500,000 is available. Businesses must match the requested subsidy with their own contribution. The total project amount can exceed 2 million euros.
For example:
If 2 businesses and 1 civil society organisation in a partnership request the maximum subsidy amount, this equals 2x €500,000 + 1 million euros = 2 million euros subsidy. As businesses have to provide 50% own contribution, the project's total budget is 3 million euros.
Countries
Projects must take place in the countries listed in the table below. Please see Annex 1 of the Government Gazette publication (in Dutch) for more information.
| Development cooperation countries | Aid and trade combination countries |
|---|---|
| Benin | Côte d'Ivoire |
| Burkina Faso | Egypt |
| Burundi | Ghana |
| Ethiopia | Kenya |
| Mali | Morocco |
| Mozambique | Nigeria |
| Niger | Senegal |
| South-Sudan | South Africa |
| Sudan | |
| Uganda | |
| Yemen |
When assessing subsidy applications, we will award 5 extra points to projects in the development cooperation countries.
After your application
We only process complete applications received during a subsidy round. The final subsidy round ended on 18 December 2023 at 15:00 CET.
Once you have submitted a subsidy application, we will decide whether you are eligible for a subsidy within 22 weeks.
Publications
- Government Gazette (in Dutch)
More information
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency carries our ARFSA on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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