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 low and middle-income countries. Their knowledge and expertise help accelerate resilient food systems in Africa. Projects are now running in 6 countries.
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 low and middle-income 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.
ARFSA countries and projects
ARFSA now has 6 active projects in the following countries: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, South Sudan and Uganda. Below is an overview of these projects. Visit our Project Database for more detailed information on the ARFSA projects.
This 3-year project will contribute to more food and more nutritious food for 6,000 smallholder farmers and their family members in Burkina Faso. The project focuses on a resilient local food system, higher yields and training in nutritious meals.
Project partners
- Woord & Daad;
- Office de Développement des Eglises Evangéliqu;
- Société Coopérative avec Conseil d’Administration des Professionnels Maraîchers du Yatenga;
- Société Coopérative avec Conseil d’Administration Dagnal Rewbe.
This project contributes to accelerating the resilience of local food systems through farmer-managed natural regeneration. Focusing on nutrition, this approach increases productivity, sustainable land use, and food availability.
Project partners
- Both ENDS;
- Centre Régional d'Enseignement Spécial, affiliated to Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger;
- Secrétariat Permanent des ONGs;
- Institut Economie et Développement Afrique.
This 3-year project contributes to economic and resilient local food systems by enhancing the livelihoods and incomes of 25,000 smallholder farmers. To this end, project partners work on developing the vegetable sector, especially empowering youth and women. The project also encourages local farmers to eat healthier by adding more vegetables to their diets.
Project partners
- Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition;
- East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation;
- Wageningen University and Research.
This 2-year project will support local entrepreneurs, communities and their South Sudanese food system partners. The aim is to develop inclusive, fair and resilient seed systems, value chains and agrifood enterprises. This will contribute to more resilient local food systems and better food security and nutrition through healthier diets.
Project partners
- Cooperative Dutch Coalition for Relief and Development U.A.;
- ZOA Dorcas South Sudan;
- University of Juba.
This project will contribute to a resilient local food system in Uganda's West Nile region. By using the Plan Intégré du Paysan (PIP) approach, smallholder farmers can increase their productivity and yields. It also allows more farmers to participate in profitable markets. Empowering youth, women and refugees is essential in this project.
Project partners
- ZOA Netherlands;
- ZOA Uganda;
- Palm Corps.
Via sustainable agricultural practices, this 3-year project will contribute to improving the population's nutritional situation in 5 sub-counties of Uganda's Mount Elgon region. The project focuses on building the capacity of women of reproductive age. Care groups and farmer groups make food more available to these women. They also teach them how to use the food. The project also targets education and capacity-building in schools by promoting agricultural clubs and nutritious diets among students.
Project partners
- AidEnvironment;
- Food for the Hungry;
- Kapchorwa Civil Society Organisation's Alliance.
ARFSA in practice
Watch the video below about the AFRiSS project in South Sudan. This project aims to develop inclusive, fair and resilient seed systems, value chains and agrifood enterprises.
Responsible Business Conduct (RBC)
Your project must follow the international Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) guidelines. We take RBC into account when assessing your funding application. We ask you to:
- follow OECD guidelines;
- show how you conduct your operations following these OECD guidelines;
- carry out a proper risk analysis of social and environmental risks;
- state the measures to prevent and reduce these risks.
During the project, you must report on RBC risks and state the measures you are taking or plan to take to prevent and reduce these risks.
Dutch companies must complete an RBC self-assessment as part of the application process. The Dutch government uses this scan to check whether a company is aware of and follows the OECD guidelines. This assessment is a requirement for approval of your project.
On our website, you can read more about RBC and due diligence.
SEAH-voorwaarden
To be eligible for subsidies, SEAH conditions apply. RVO expects you to have your own integrity policy as well as procedures to implement this policy. In addition, you are required to report any incidents of (sexual) misconduct or abuse of power during RVO-funded projects. For further details, please visit Sexual misconduct and abuse of power | RVO.nl.
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
- ARFSA in Government Gazette, 10 July 2023 (official publication in Dutch).
More information
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency carries our ARFSA on behalf of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Questions about ARFSA?
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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