IDRC and Australia co-fund African innovation projects

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Australian International Food Security Centre have issued a call for concept notes for their joint four-year, $15-million research partnership to use innovation to improve agriculture challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. The Cultivate Africa's Future (CultiAF) program will tackle problems faced by the region's smallholder farmers — the majority of whom are women — such as post-harvest losses, inefficient water usage, poor product quality and malnutrition. The call applies to research organization from 10 countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The program's innovations are expected to be of use to other African countries….