FCI4AFRICA — Open Call 1 addressed to research and technology stakeholders — Fair food and trade systems for Africa through food convergence innovation

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FCI4AFRICA — Open Call 1 addressed to research and technology stakeholders — Fair food and trade systems for Africa through food convergence innovation | GrantForge

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Open Call 1 (OC1) addressed to research and technology stakeholders13761COMPETITIVE_CALL

StatusClosed

TypeIA-Cascade

Per project€50K

Call envelope€400K

1 phase

Deadline:2026-06-30

💡

Strategic Analysis

FCI4Africa Open Call 1 (OC1)

The FCI4Africa Open Call 1 (OC1) is addressed to research and technology stakeholders, including start-ups, SMEs, research organisations, and other multidisciplinary actors. Its purpose is to provide financial support for testing, validating, and enhancing the project's existing business concepts and tools, or for developing new ideas and tools that address specific challenges within the FCI4Africa framework. A total budget of €400,000 is allocated for OC1, funding up to eight subprojects, with each selected entity receiving a maximum of €50,000 on a lump-sum basis. Projects are expected to have an implementation timeframe of 12 months, launching in November 2026 and concluding by October 2027. The call was launched on 7 April 2026, with a submission deadline of 30 June 2026.

🔬 Scientific Alignment

Scope Activities (8)

SC01

Test, validate, and enhance existing business concepts and tools

SC02

Develop ideas and tools addressing specific FCI4Africa challenges

SC03

Generate data sets for refinement of tools, methodologies, and business concepts

SC04

Implement an iterative multi-actor innovation process in real-life environments

SC05

Collaborate with local stakeholders for contextual relevance

SC06Eliminating

Respect the 'Do No Significant Harm Principle'

SC07Eliminating

Integrate ethical principles and data protection ('ethics by design')

SC08

Allocate budget for dissemination activities

Expected Outcomes (6)

EO01

Solutions addressing lack of sustainability, fairness, and justness in agri-food sector

EO02

Solutions addressing difficulties in complying with new EU legislation and trade policies

EO03

Solutions addressing high certification costs for African small-scale farmers

EO04

Solutions addressing fragmentation of intra-African agricultural trade

EO05

Solutions addressing limited transparency and data obstructing informal sector integration

EO06

Solutions addressing inconsistency of non-tariff measures across regions

🌍 Impact Strategy

Target SDG Topics

Select the SDG targets (topics) that your future project proposal will actively address to align with EU Policy Impacts.

Expected Impacts (6)

EI01

Enhanced sustainable, fair, and healthy food systems within Africa

EI02

Commercialisation of project results

EI03

Dissemination of knowledge from project results

EI04

Policy influence from project results

EI05

Creation of long-term value for African food systems

EI06

Scalability and adaptability of subproject outcomes to other contexts

EU Policy Alignment

Horizon Europe

high

Horizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation, running from 2021 to 2027. It aims to strengthen the EU's scientific and technological bases, foster its competitiveness, and deliver on the EU's strategic priorities, including the Green Deal and digital transformation.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Evaluators will assess how well proposals align with the overall objectives and principles of Horizon Europe, including its missions, clusters, and cross-cutting issues like open science, gender equality, and international cooperation. Proposals should clearly articulate their contribution to Horizon Europe's strategic goals and expected impacts.

EU Green Deal

high

The EU Green Deal aims to transform the EU into a fair, healthy, and environmentally sustainable society, with a focus on sustainable food systems. This call aligns with the Green Deal’s goals by addressing the health impacts of diets and promoting resilient, inclusive food systems that support mental well-being.

💡

Evaluator focus:Evaluators will look for proposals that demonstrate how the project contributes to sustainable food production, reduces environmental footprints, and promotes equitable access to healthy diets, particularly in vulnerable groups.

Farm-to-Fork Strategy

high

The Farm-to-Fork Strategy is a cornerstone of the European Green Deal, aiming to make food systems fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly. It covers the entire food supply chain, from production to consumption, focusing on sustainable practices, animal welfare, food waste reduction, and promoting healthy diets. Its goal is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system that has a neutral or positive environmental impact.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Evaluators will expect proposals to clearly demonstrate how their food value chain innovations contribute to the objectives of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy. This includes showing how the project promotes sustainable food production, reduces environmental impact (e.g., pesticide use, nutrient loss, GHG emissions), enhances food security, improves animal welfare, reduces food waste, or fosters healthier and more sustainable consumption patterns. Proposals should articulate a clear pathway to achieving a more resilient and sustainable food system.

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

high

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a flagship project of Agenda 2063, aiming to create a single market for goods and services across 54 African countries. Its primary goal is to boost intra-African trade, industrialization, and economic growth by eliminating tariffs on most goods and reducing non-tariff barriers, fostering regional value chains and economic integration.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Proposals focused on food value chain innovation in Africa should demonstrate an awareness of the AfCFTA's potential to facilitate trade and market access within the continent. Evaluators will look for how the proposed innovations could leverage or contribute to the objectives of AfCFTA, such as strengthening regional food value chains, enhancing market integration, or promoting cross-border collaboration among African SMEs. Projects that show potential for scaling up across African markets due to AfCFTA will be viewed favorably.

African Union Agenda 2063

high

Agenda 2063 is the African Union's strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over a 50-year period. It outlines seven aspirations, including a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, and a continent of integrated, prosperous, and peaceful regions. Food security, agricultural transformation, and industrialization are key pillars.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Proposals for food value chain innovation in Africa should demonstrate alignment with the broader goals of Agenda 2063, particularly those related to agricultural transformation, food security, sustainable development, and economic growth. Evaluators will look for how the project contributes to building resilient and inclusive food systems that support Africa's long-term development aspirations, potentially addressing issues like youth employment, gender equality, and climate resilience within the food sector.

Horizon Europe Regulation 2021/695

high

This regulation establishes Horizon Europe, setting out its objectives, budget, forms of EU funding, and rules for participation. It is the foundational legal act for the entire programme.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Proposals must comply with the general rules and principles set out in this regulation, including eligibility criteria, ethical principles, and financial provisions. Evaluators will implicitly assess adherence to these foundational rules.

EU restrictive measures (Article 29 TEU, Article 215 TFEU)

high

EU restrictive measures, commonly known as sanctions, are adopted under Article 29 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). These measures are used to implement EU foreign and security policy objectives, targeting non-EU countries, entities, or individuals to bring about a change in their policies or activities. They can include asset freezes, travel bans, arms embargoes, and restrictions on specific economic activities.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Proposals must ensure full compliance with all applicable EU restrictive measures. Evaluators will expect applicants to confirm that their project activities, partners, and beneficiaries are not subject to any EU sanctions. This is a fundamental legal requirement for participation in EU funding programmes. Any potential involvement of sanctioned entities or activities would lead to disqualification.

Do No Significant Harm Principle

high

The 'Do No Significant Harm' (DNSH) principle is a fundamental tenet of EU sustainable finance and environmental policy. It requires that economic activities, including those funded by the EU, do not cause significant harm to any of the six environmental objectives: climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Evaluators will expect proposals to demonstrate a thorough assessment of potential environmental impacts and to clearly outline how the proposed food value chain innovations will avoid causing significant harm to any of the six environmental objectives. This includes detailing mitigation measures, sustainable practices, and a commitment to environmental responsibility throughout the project lifecycle.

HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-01-11

high

This is a specific topic identifier within the Horizon Europe Work Programme for Cluster 6 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment), focusing on the Farm-to-Fork strategy. It outlines the specific scope, expected outcomes, and impact pathways for projects funded under this topic.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Proposals must directly and explicitly address all aspects of the topic description, including the specific challenges, scope, and expected outcomes. Evaluators will assess the relevance, ambition, and feasibility of the proposed innovation in achieving the objectives defined by this specific call identifier.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

medium

GDPR sets strict guidelines for data privacy and protection, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children. It mandates transparency, consent, and security in data processing.

💡

Evaluator focus:Proposals must demonstrate compliance with GDPR, especially when collecting and processing data from children and young adults. Evaluators will prioritize projects that incorporate privacy-by-design principles and ensure ethical data handling.

Deforestation-Free Regulation

medium

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to minimize the EU's contribution to deforestation and forest degradation worldwide. It requires companies to ensure that products placed on the EU market have not been produced on land deforested or degraded after 31 December 2020, and that they comply with relevant laws of the country of production. It covers commodities such as palm oil, cattle, soy, coffee, cocoa, timber, and rubber, and derived products.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Evaluators will expect proposals, especially those involving supply chains for commodities covered by the EUDR, to demonstrate an understanding of its requirements. This includes outlining how the proposed innovations ensure compliance with deforestation-free criteria, traceability, and legality of products, particularly if the innovations relate to sourcing or processing of relevant agricultural products destined for or linked to the EU market.

Council Implementing Decision 2022/2506

medium

This decision concerns the adoption of the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe. It details the structure and content of the specific programme, including the clusters and their expected impacts.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Proposals should demonstrate how they align with the objectives and expected impacts outlined in the specific programme for the relevant cluster (in this case, Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment). Evaluators will check for consistency with the strategic orientations and intervention areas defined by this decision.

EU Taxonomy Regulation

medium

The EU Taxonomy Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/852) establishes a classification system for environmentally sustainable economic activities. It provides a common framework for investors, companies, and policymakers to identify and define which economic activities can be considered environmentally sustainable, contributing to the EU's climate and environmental objectives.

💡

Evaluator focus:

Proposals, especially those with a strong sustainability focus or seeking to attract green investment, should demonstrate an awareness of the EU Taxonomy. Evaluators will look for an explanation of how the proposed food value chain innovations align with the Taxonomy's environmental objectives and, where applicable, how they meet the technical screening criteria for environmentally sustainable activities, while also adhering to the 'Do No Significant Harm' principle.

📋 Additional Guidance

⚖ Eligibility rules

Minimum partners1

Maximum partners1

Minimum countries1

Maximum duration12 months

⚖ Eligibility — synthesis

Eligibility Criteria for Open Call 1

FCI4Africa Open Call 1 (OC1) accepts applications from single entities only; consortia are not allowed. Each third party can participate in only one proposal. Eligible applicants are research and technology stakeholders, which include universities and research institutes, technology developers and R&D SMEs, and innovation-driven start-ups.

Definition of Eligible Entities:

A start-up is an early-stage business entity typically established within the past 10 years, focusing on innovative products, services, or business models, and demonstrating potential for high growth or significant social impact.
An SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) must comply with European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC, having a headcount of less than 250 Annual Work Units (AWU) and an annual turnover less than or equal to €50 million.

Eligible Countries:

Legal entities must be established in countries eligible for funding through Horizon Europe. This includes:

EU Member States.
Associated Countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and United Kingdom.
Countries with Transitional Arrangements: Egypt (for 2025 onwards), Japan, and Morocco (for the entire Programme).
Low- to Middle-Income Countries: A comprehensive list of over 100 countries, including many African nations, whose participants are automatically eligible for funding.

Exclusion Criteria:

Legal entities established on the basis of the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity maintained by such a public interest trust.
Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine.
Existing consortium members of the FCI4Africa project and their affiliated entities.
Applicants involved in the implementation of the FCI4Africa project or having a confirmed, paid relationship with any FCI4Africa consortium partner.

Other Key Eligibility Requirements:

Proposed solutions must fit within the project's objectives or one of the FCI4Africa Use Cases, and activities must be implemented within Africa, directly targeting local food system actors and value chains.
The proposal must align with the Open Call's objectives and not be preselected in other projects' open calls funded under the same topic (HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-01-11).
Applicants must have a valid VAT number or a registration number from their respective national authority if a VAT number is not mandatory.
The proposed work must be carried out after the selection process.

🗓 Call process & calendar

Submission and Selection Process

The application process for FCI4Africa Open Call 1 involves several stages, from submission to project implementation. Applicants must submit their proposals digitally through the opencalls.fund platform. Only the last version of an application will be considered if multiple versions are submitted. Required documents at the time of submission include a Declaration of Honour and an SME Declaration. During the contracting phase, selected applicants will need to provide bank account information, the signed Sub-grant Agreement, and proof of legal existence.

Following the submission deadline, an eligibility check is conducted by the FCI4Africa OC Advisory Board (OCAB). Eligible proposals then proceed to a remote evaluation by two external evaluators against predefined award criteria. If there is a significant difference in scores, a consensus meeting or an online interview may be held. Applicants receive an Evaluation Summary Report (ESR), and a redress procedure is available for both eligibility and evaluation results within specified timeframes.

Contract negotiations with selected proposals take place, leading to the signing of a Sub-grant Agreement. Projects are then launched and implemented over 12 months, divided into three phases with deliverable-based lump-sum payments.

Implementation Timeline and Activities

Activity	Date/Period
Open Call 1 Launch	7 April 2026
Technical Support Deadline	24 June 2026, 17:00 CEST
Questions Submission Deadline	26 June 2026, 17:00 CEST
Application Submission Deadline	30 June 2026, 17:00 CEST
Eligibility Check	July 2026
Proposal Evaluation and Sub-grant Agreement Preparation	July 2026 - October 2026
Contracting Negotiations	1 September 2026 - 31 October 2026
Selected Projects Launch	November 2026
Phase 1 - Design (Deliverable: Activity plan)	November 2026 - January 2027 (3 months)
Phase 2 - Development (Deliverable: Results demonstration)	February 2027 - July 2027 (6 months)
Phase 3 - Validation (Deliverable: Report on dissemination activities and lessons learnt)	August 2027 - October 2027 (3 months)
Project End	October 2027

🎯 Call process & Evaluation criteria (Pre-award)

Evaluation Process and Criteria

After an initial eligibility check conducted by the FCI4Africa OC Advisory Board (OCAB), all eligible proposals will undergo a remote evaluation by two external evaluators. Each proposal will be assessed against four equally weighted award criteria, with a scoring range of 1 to 5 and a threshold of 3 points for each criterion. An overall minimum score of 12 points is required for a proposal to be considered for funding.

Award Criterion	Description	Scoring (1-5)	Threshold
Concept and feasibility	Clarity, practicality, alignment with timeline and budget, relevance to FCI4Africa's Use Cases or objectives, work plan coherence, soundness of solution (including multi-actor involvement and gender), ethics, and compliance.	1-5	3
Technology readiness and innovation development	Technical feasibility, appropriateness of approach and methodology, and the solution's Innovation Readiness Level (TRL), expected to start at TRL3-4 and reach TRL6.	1-5	3
Impact & Exploitation	Demonstration of impact on the FCI4Africa ecosystem and target stakeholders, strategies for dissemination and policy uptake, and long-term value, scalability, and adaptability of outcomes.	1-5	3
Organisational capacity and sufficiency	Team expertise and roles, overall team quality (complementarity, gender balance, diversity), realism and transparency of budget allocation, effective use of resources, and presence of a risk management plan.	1-5	3

Interpretation of Scores:

1 - Poor: Inadequately addressed or serious inherent weaknesses.
2 - Fair: Broadly addresses, but significant weaknesses.
3 - Good: Addresses well, but a number of shortcomings.
4 - Very Good: Addresses very well, but a small number of shortcomings.
5 - Excellent: Successfully addresses all relevant aspects; any shortcomings are minor.

In cases where the total scores between evaluators differ significantly (>5 points), a consensus meeting will be held. If unsuccessful, an online interview with the applicant will be conducted by external evaluators, assessing confirmation of proposed solution (40%), viability (30%), and reliability to reach exploitation milestones (30%).

Tie-breaking Procedure:

If multiple proposals share the same overall score and are at the funding threshold, priority will be given based on scores in the following order:

Concept and feasibility
Impact & Exploitation
Technology readiness and innovation development
Organisational capacity and sufficiency

In the event of an absolute tie after applying all criteria, the final decision will be made by the Open Call Advisory Board.

Redress Procedure:

Applicants may submit a written request for redress to the FCI4Africa OC Advisory Board within three working days of receiving eligibility check notifications or within five working days of receiving the Evaluation Summary Report (ESR), if they believe there was a shortcoming in the process that affected the decision. The OC Advisory Board will review these requests, but will not question the scientific or technical judgment of the evaluators.

💶 Financials

Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP)

The FCI4Africa Open Call 1 provides financial support to third parties (FSTP) in the form of pre-defined lump-sum amounts, linked to the successful completion and acceptance of agreed deliverables. The total budget allocated for OC1 is €400,000, with a maximum grant of €50,000 per selected single entity. Up to eight subprojects will be funded.

No pre-financing is foreseen; payments are made after the successful completion of each implementation phase:

Phase 1 - Design (Activity plan): 20% of the total grant.
Phase 2 - Development (Results demonstration): 50% of the total grant.
Phase 3 - Validation (Report on dissemination activities and lessons learnt): 30% of the total grant.

Applicants must provide a detailed explanation and justification for their budget, which is subject to the basic eligibility rules of Horizon Europe. Overestimated costs may lead to adjustments in the lump sum amount.

Eligible Cost Categories:

Personnel costs: Costs for personnel realizing the work and preparing deliverables, calculated according to national rules and real labor market data. These are considered direct costs.
Subcontracting: Allowed for up to a maximum of 25% of the proposed budget, provided it is clearly justified and ensures best value-for-money. Subcontractors cannot be part of the FCI4Africa consortium.
Purchase costs: Includes travel costs, depreciation costs for purchased equipment (borrowing/lending equipment is not eligible), and other goods & services (e.g., consumables, dissemination, protection of results, translations).
Indirect costs: Up to 25% of the direct costs (excluding subcontracting).

A minimum of 7% of the funding must be allocated to dissemination activities. The funds originate from the European Project FCI4Africa, which is funded by the European Commission under Grant Agreement Number [101182485]. The Sub-grant Agreement will be signed with the FCI4Africa Open Call Manager / Treasurer (RFF) and the FCI4Africa coordinator (IITA).

🤝 Collaborations & synergies

Collaboration and Synergies

Applicants are expected to collaborate with local stakeholders to ensure that solutions are contextually relevant and effectively address the unique challenges faced by African communities. Proposals must demonstrate an iterative multi-actor innovation process in a real-life environment, involving a wide range of food system actors, including research and development organisations, business organisations, civil society organisations, and government.

The FCI4Africa project itself builds on existing innovations and preliminary business models, co-developing user-driven solutions and sustainable business concepts with stakeholders across the food supply chain. Within Use Case #1, the project explicitly mentions taking advantage of synergies with other projects, such as EU HORIZON projects HD4A, FS4Africa, and UP-RISE.

While proposals are from single entities, subcontracting is allowed for up to a maximum of 25% of the proposed budget, provided it is clearly justified and complies with sound financial management principles.

📋 Implementation, tasks & required activities

Project Implementation and Responsibilities

Selected projects will be implemented over a 12-month timeframe, from November 2026 to October 2027, divided into three distinct phases:

Phase 1 - Design (3 months / November 2026-January 2027): Requires the submission of an Activity plan.
Phase 2 - Development (6 months / February 2027-July 2027): Requires the submission of Results demonstration.
Phase 3 - Validation (3 months / August 2027-October 2027): Requires the submission of a Report on dissemination activities and lessons learnt (or market or community associated activities).

Payments are deliverable-based, meaning that sub-grantees receive funding upon the successful completion and acceptance of agreed deliverables for each phase, with no pre-financing foreseen.

Sub-grantees are indirect beneficiaries of European Commission funding and are responsible for complying with obligations set out in Horizon Europe specific requirements. Key responsibilities include:

Conflict of Interest: Sub-grantees must prevent any situations that could compromise the impartial and objective implementation of the Sub-grant Agreement. They cannot be affiliated with FCI4Africa consortium partners or be their employees.
Ethics, Data Protection & Confidentiality: Applicants must identify and explain ethical issues in their proposals, adhering to EU ethical rules and GDPR principles. Confidentiality of data and documents must be maintained for at least five years after final payment.
Promoting the Action and Giving Visibility to EU Funding: Sub-grantees must promote their projects and the FCI4Africa project, acknowledging EU support by displaying the European flag and funding statement, and including the FCI4Africa logo and a standard disclaimer in all communication activities.
Financial Audit and Controls: Sub-grantees must comply with financial support conditions and cooperate with EU instances for audits, keeping all relevant documents for up to five years after project completion.
Do No Significant Harm Principle: Sub-grantees must ensure their project methodology does not significantly harm any of the six environmental objectives of the EU Taxonomy Regulation.

🔐 Intellectual Property Rights

Proposals must consist of original work by the applicants, and their anticipated developments must not infringe upon any third-party rights.

🛡 Ethics & confidentiality

Proposals must address ethical concerns and adhere to relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. Applicants are required to describe how they will comply with European Union ethical rules/principles and integrate ethics principles into the project. This includes addressing aspects such as participant involvement, informed consent, privacy protection, data management, and any other relevant ethical considerations.

An 'ethics by design' approach is expected, meaning ethical and legal principles, based on GDPR, competition law compliance, and absence of data bias, must be implemented from the beginning of the design process.

🤝 Multi-actor, interdisciplinarity & SSH

Multi-Actor, Interdisciplinarity, and SSH Dimensions

The FCI4Africa Open Call 1 strongly emphasizes a multi-actor approach. Use cases are designed as user-centred, open-innovation ecosystems that bring together scientists, practitioners, civil-society actors, and public authorities. Proposals are required to accomplish an iterative multi-actor innovation process in a real-life environment, ensuring adequate involvement of a wide range of food system actors, including research and development organisations, business organisations, civil society organisations, and government. Applicants are also expected to collaborate with local stakeholders to ensure contextually relevant solutions.

The project inherently promotes interdisciplinarity by addressing both technical-scientific and socio-economic aspects, such as gender issues and fairness of income distribution across the production chain. This holistic approach is reflected in the evaluation criteria, which assess the soundness of proposed solutions, including the involvement of diverse stakeholders.

The call has a significant Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) dimension. Its core objective is to empower small-scale, informal, and vulnerable actors in Africa's agri-food value chain, focusing on fairness, justness, and climate neutrality in African products. Use Case #3, for instance, specifically elaborates approaches to increase the resilience of rural communities against shocks, considering socio-economic aspects like gender issues and income distribution. The evaluation criteria also explicitly include 'Gender and inclusivity', assessing whether projects promote diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities.

📊 Evaluation post-award

The project implementation is structured around three key phases, each with a mandatory deliverable tied to payment:

D1. Activity plan: Due at Month 3 (M03) during the Design phase. The cost for this deliverable cannot exceed 20% of the overall budget.
D2. Results demonstration: Due at Month 9 (M09) during the Development phase. The cost for this deliverable cannot exceed 50% of the overall budget.
D3. Report on dissemination activities and lessons learned: Due at Month 12 (M12) during the Validation phase. The cost for this deliverable cannot exceed 30% of the overall budget.

These three mandatory deliverables summarise each implementation phase and are linked to the payment schedule. Applicants may add additional deliverables if desired.

📊 Coverage

Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.

See how your concept covers this call

This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.

Scope activities8requirements

Expected outcomes6requirements

Other requirements0requirements

Expected impacts6requirements

Underlying policies9requirements

Requirements matrix

Coverage of the call requirements
Requirement	Covered by	Carried	Status
Scope activities
SC01Test, validate, and enhance existing business concepts and toolsTest, validate, and enhance the existing business concepts and tools of the project, including those already developed within the Use Cases.	·	·	Sign up to track
SC02Develop ideas and tools addressing specific FCI4Africa challengesDevelop ideas and tools that address specific challenges of FCI4Africa.	·	·	Sign up to track
SC03Generate data sets for refinement of tools, methodologies, and business conceptsGenerate data sets that contribute to the refinement of tools, methodologies, and business concepts.	·	·	Sign up to track
SC04Implement an iterative multi-actor innovation process in real-life environmentsAccomplish an iterative multi-actor innovation process in a real-life environment as a leading principle for adequate involvement of a wide range of food system actors (including research and development organisations, business organisations, civil society organisations, and government) and engage them in developing and implementing realistic solutions aimed at enhancing food and trade systems within Africa.	·	·	Sign up to track
SC05Collaborate with local stakeholders for contextual relevanceCollaborate with local stakeholders to ensure that solutions are contextually relevant and effectively address the unique challenges faced by African communities.	·	·	Sign up to track
SC06Respect the 'Do No Significant Harm Principle'Subgrantees must always respect the 'Do No Significant Harm Principle', ensuring the subproject's methodology does not significantly harm any of the six environmental objectives of the EU Taxonomy Regulation.	·	·	Sign up to track
SC07Integrate ethical principles and data protection ('ethics by design')Identify and explain any ethical issues that may arise during the sub-project implementation, comply with European Union ethical rules/principles, and follow an 'ethics by design' approach, integrating ethical and legal principles (GDPR, competition law compliance, absence of data bias).	·	·	Sign up to track
SC08Allocate budget for dissemination activitiesAllocate a minimum 7% of the funding to the deployment of dissemination activities such as organisation of information/field days, workshops and informal events to promote the FCI4Africa results.	·	·	Sign up to track
Expected outcomes
EO01Solutions addressing lack of sustainability, fairness, and justness in agri-food sectorDeveloped solutions should address the lack of sustainability, fairness and justness in the agri-food sector.	·	·	Sign up to track
EO02Solutions addressing difficulties in complying with new EU legislation and trade policiesDeveloped solutions should address difficulties in complying with new EU legislation and trade policies.	·	·	Sign up to track
EO03Solutions addressing high certification costs for African small-scale farmersDeveloped solutions should address high certification costs creating barriers for African small-scale farmers.	·	·	Sign up to track
EO04Solutions addressing fragmentation of intra-African agricultural tradeDeveloped solutions should address fragmentation of intra-African agricultural trade.	·	·	Sign up to track
EO05Solutions addressing limited transparency and data obstructing informal sector integrationDeveloped solutions should address limited transparency and data obstructing the integration of the informal sector.	·	·	Sign up to track
EO06Solutions addressing inconsistency of non-tariff measures across regionsDeveloped solutions should address inconsistency of non-tariff measures across regions.	·	·	Sign up to track
Other requirements
No other requirements in this call.
Expected impacts
EI01Enhanced sustainable, fair, and healthy food systems within AfricaThe implementation of the selected solution(s) can enhance sustainable, fair, and healthy food systems within Africa.	·	·	Sign up to track
EI02Commercialisation of project resultsStrategies for disseminating and exploiting the project's results such as commercialisation.	·	·	Sign up to track
EI03Dissemination of knowledge from project resultsStrategies for disseminating and exploiting the project's results such as dissemination of knowledge.	·	·	Sign up to track
EI04Policy influence from project resultsStrategies for disseminating and exploiting the project's results such as policy influence.	·	·	Sign up to track
EI05Creation of long-term value for African food systemsThe subproject's outcomes create long-term value for African food systems.	·	·	Sign up to track
EI06Scalability and adaptability of subproject outcomes to other contextsThe subproject's outcomes can extend beyond the sub-project implementation, be scaled or adapted to other contexts.	·	·	Sign up to track
Underlying policies
POL1horizon europeHorizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation, running from 2021 to 2027. It aims to strengthen the EU's scientific and technological bases, foster its competitiveness, and deliver on the EU's strategic priorities, including the Green Deal and digital transformation.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL2eu green dealThe EU Green Deal aims to transform the EU into a fair, healthy, and environmentally sustainable society, with a focus on sustainable food systems. This call aligns with the Green Deal’s goals by addressing the health impacts of diets and promoting resilient, inclusive food systems that support mental well-being.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL3farm-to-fork strategyThe Farm-to-Fork Strategy is a cornerstone of the European Green Deal, aiming to make food systems fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly. It covers the entire food supply chain, from production to consumption, focusing on sustainable practices, animal welfare, food waste reduction, and promoting healthy diets. Its goal is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system that has a neutral or positive environmental impact.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL4african continental free trade area (afcfta)The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a flagship project of Agenda 2063, aiming to create a single market for goods and services across 54 African countries. Its primary goal is to boost intra-African trade, industrialization, and economic growth by eliminating tariffs on most goods and reducing non-tariff barriers, fostering regional value chains and economic integration.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL5african union agenda 2063Agenda 2063 is the African Union's strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over a 50-year period. It outlines seven aspirations, including a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, and a continent of integrated, prosperous, and peaceful regions. Food security, agricultural transformation, and industrialization are key pillars.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL6horizon europe regulation 2021/695This regulation establishes Horizon Europe, setting out its objectives, budget, forms of EU funding, and rules for participation. It is the foundational legal act for the entire programme.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL7eu restrictive measures (article 29 teu, article 215 tfeu)EU restrictive measures, commonly known as sanctions, are adopted under Article 29 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). These measures are used to implement EU foreign and security policy objectives, targeting non-EU countries, entities, or individuals to bring about a change in their policies or activities. They can include asset freezes, travel bans, arms embargoes, and restrictions on specific economic activities.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL8do no significant harm principleThe 'Do No Significant Harm' (DNSH) principle is a fundamental tenet of EU sustainable finance and environmental policy. It requires that economic activities, including those funded by the EU, do not cause significant harm to any of the six environmental objectives: climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.	·	·	Sign up to track
POL9horizon-cl6-2024-farm2fork-01-11This is a specific topic identifier within the Horizon Europe Work Programme for Cluster 6 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment), focusing on the Farm-to-Fork strategy. It outlines the specific scope, expected outcomes, and impact pathways for projects funded under this topic.	·	·	Sign up to track

Scope activities

SC01Sign up

Test, validate, and enhance existing business concepts and tools

SC02Sign up

Develop ideas and tools addressing specific FCI4Africa challenges

SC03Sign up

Generate data sets for refinement of tools, methodologies, and business concepts

SC04Sign up

Implement an iterative multi-actor innovation process in real-life environments

SC05Sign up

Collaborate with local stakeholders for contextual relevance

SC06Sign up

Respect the 'Do No Significant Harm Principle'

SC07Sign up

Integrate ethical principles and data protection ('ethics by design')

SC08Sign up

Allocate budget for dissemination activities

Expected outcomes

EO01Sign up

Solutions addressing lack of sustainability, fairness, and justness in agri-food sector

EO02Sign up

Solutions addressing difficulties in complying with new EU legislation and trade policies

EO03Sign up

Solutions addressing high certification costs for African small-scale farmers

EO04Sign up

Solutions addressing fragmentation of intra-African agricultural trade

EO05Sign up

Solutions addressing limited transparency and data obstructing informal sector integration

EO06Sign up

Solutions addressing inconsistency of non-tariff measures across regions

Other requirementsNo other requirements in this call.

Expected impacts

EI01Sign up

Enhanced sustainable, fair, and healthy food systems within Africa

EI02Sign up

Commercialisation of project results

EI03Sign up

Dissemination of knowledge from project results

EI04Sign up

Policy influence from project results

EI05Sign up

Creation of long-term value for African food systems

EI06Sign up

Scalability and adaptability of subproject outcomes to other contexts

Underlying policies

POL1Sign up

horizon europe

POL2Sign up

eu green deal

POL3Sign up

farm-to-fork strategy

POL4Sign up

african continental free trade area (afcfta)

POL5Sign up

african union agenda 2063

POL6Sign up

horizon europe regulation 2021/695

POL7Sign up

eu restrictive measures (article 29 teu, article 215 tfeu)

POL8Sign up

do no significant harm principle

POL9Sign up

horizon-cl6-2024-farm2fork-01-11

✅ Eligibility

The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.

Minimum 1 partner

min 1 / max 1

Auto: callSign up to confirm

Minimum 1 country

Auto: callSign up to confirm

🎯 Structuring choices

🎯 Choices to make before applying

The call requires you to pick or distribute several structuring elements before submission. These are locked at proposal creation time and drive the project backbone. Read-only here.

Project Track

fci4africa-track

TrackPick exactly 1

Select the primary objective your project will address, as described in section 1.5 of the Applicant Guide.

enhance-existing

Objective 1: Enhance existing FCI4Africa tools and concepts

To test, validate, and enhance the existing business concepts and tools of the project, including those already developed within the Use Cases.

develop-new

Objective 2: Develop new ideas and tools

To develop ideas and tools that address specific challenges of FCI4Africa.

Challenges Addressed

fci4africa-topics

TopicPick at least 1

Select the challenge(s) your solution addresses, as listed in section 1.6 of the Applicant Guide.

sustainability-fairness

Lack of sustainability, fairness and justness in the agri-food sector

eu-legislation

Difficulties in complying with new EU legislation and trade policies

certification-costs

High certification costs creating barriers for African small-scale farmers

trade-fragmentation

Fragmentation of intra-African agricultural trade

transparency-data

Limited transparency and data obstructing the integration of the informal sector

ntm-inconsistency

Inconsistency of non-tariff measures across regions

🧭 Strategy

🧭 Strategic insights

4 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.

Concept and Feasibility is the Decisive Tie-Breaker

Proposals with identical overall scores will be ranked based on the score for 'Concept and feasibility' first. Only then will 'Impact & Exploitation' be considered. This means a proposal with a slightly stronger concept will beat a proposal with a slightly better team or TRL plan if they are tied. Your entire narrative must prioritize the clarity, practicality, and coherence of the concept above all else.

Source: Applicant's Guide, Section 2.5.2 Remote Evaluation and key points

Single-Entity Proposals Must Prove Multi-Actor Engagement

Although this is a single-entity call, the evaluation criteria demand a demonstrated iterative multi-actor innovation process. Your proposal will be scored on how you involve research organisations, businesses, civil society, and government. A proposal that describes a purely internal project will fail the 'Concept and feasibility' criterion. You must detail your engagement strategy and secure commitments from these external actors, even if they are not formal partners receiving funds.

Source: Applicant's Guide, Section 1.4.1 Approach & Planned Open Calls Realisation + Section 2.5.2 Remote Evaluation and key points

The M9 'Results Demonstration' Deliverable Drives the Entire Project Plan

With no pre-financing and 50% of the budget tied to the Month 9 'Results demonstration' deliverable, your work plan must be structured to deliver the core technical output by this deadline. This is the project's financial and technical center of gravity. A proposal that postpones key development activities into the final 'Validation' phase will be deemed unfeasible and will not be funded.

Source: Applicant's Guide, Section 1.4.1 Approach & Planned Open Calls Realisation + Section 3.1 Implementation timeline and activities

Choose One Track: Enhance Existing Tools or Develop a New Solution

The call presents two distinct project paths: either test and enhance the specific FCI4Africa tools listed in Appendix 1, or develop a completely new tool for the challenges in Section 1.6. Do not attempt to mix them. Proposals that clearly align with one of these two objectives will score higher on clarity and feasibility. The 'Enhance' track is more defined and likely safer, while the 'Develop' track requires a stronger justification of need and novelty.

Source: Applicant's Guide, Section 1.5 Purpose and Objectives of Open Call 1 (OC1) + Appendix 1

🏷 Keywords

🧩 Project backbone

0%Concept coverage

Build your project backbone 🧩

Talk to the Grant Coach to build your concept. The steps below fill in as it takes shape, and your coverage tracks the progress. You can refine everything once your project workspace is created.

Step 1 of 3 · Build your concept

Structuring choice

Pick the branch you're building for — it shapes the coverage and the steps below.

🎯 Choices to make before applying

The call requires you to pick or distribute several structuring elements before submission. These are locked at proposal creation time and drive the project backbone. Read-only here.

Project Track

fci4africa-track

TrackPick exactly 1

Select the primary objective your project will address, as described in section 1.5 of the Applicant Guide.

enhance-existing

Objective 1: Enhance existing FCI4Africa tools and concepts

To test, validate, and enhance the existing business concepts and tools of the project, including those already developed within the Use Cases.

develop-new

Objective 2: Develop new ideas and tools

To develop ideas and tools that address specific challenges of FCI4Africa.

Challenges Addressed

fci4africa-topics

TopicPick at least 1

Select the challenge(s) your solution addresses, as listed in section 1.6 of the Applicant Guide.

sustainability-fairness

Lack of sustainability, fairness and justness in the agri-food sector

eu-legislation

Difficulties in complying with new EU legislation and trade policies

certification-costs

High certification costs creating barriers for African small-scale farmers

trade-fragmentation

Fragmentation of intra-African agricultural trade

transparency-data

Limited transparency and data obstructing the integration of the informal sector

ntm-inconsistency

Inconsistency of non-tariff measures across regions

Step 2 of 3 · Build your concept

Problems & target groups

The problems this call frames, and who they affect. Your concept and plan address them.

✨ Problems to be solved

High barriers to market access for African producers

African agri-food producers, especially SMEs and smallholders, face significant obstacles in accessing local and international markets. These include prohibitive certification costs, difficulties complying with evolving EU trade policies like the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, and the fragmentation of intra-African trade due to inconsistent non-tariff measures.

👤 African agri-food SMEs and start-ups👤 Smallholder farmers and producer organisations👤 African food system actors (processors, traders)

Lack of data and transparency undermines sustainability and fairness

Limited access to reliable data across the value chain obstructs efforts to verify sustainability claims, ensure fair practices, and integrate the informal sector. This data gap makes it difficult for policy makers to design effective interventions and for consumers to trust product origins, hindering the development of just and transparent food systems.

👤 Policy makers and regulators (national, regional)👤 Civil society organisations (CSOs)👤 African research and technology organisations

Innovations fail to scale due to a disconnect from local contexts

Many technological solutions are developed without sufficient involvement of end-users, leading to poor adoption rates. The call mandates an iterative multi-actor innovation process in real-life environments to ensure solutions are contextually relevant, co-created with local stakeholders, and effectively address the unique challenges faced by African communities.

👤 African agri-food SMEs and start-ups👤 African research and technology organisations👤 Smallholder farmers and producer organisations

Vulnerable groups are excluded from the benefits of food system modernisation

Women, youth, and small-scale informal actors are often marginalised and disproportionately affected by food system shocks and inequities. Innovations must actively promote inclusivity and justness, ensuring that efficiency gains and new opportunities are distributed fairly and contribute to the resilience of the most vulnerable communities, as targeted in Use Case #3.

👤 Smallholder farmers and producer organisations👤 Women and youth in agri-food value chains👤 Civil society organisations (CSOs)

Step 3 of 3 · Build your concept

The change you want to make

The long-term impacts your project should drive — this shapes the objectives next.

I1Strengthened economic resilience and competitiveness of African agri-food businessesEconomicSocial

By providing solutions that lower trade barriers and improve efficiency, the project will enhance the commercial viability and market position of African SMEs and smallholders. This contributes to long-term value creation, job security, and increased incomes, particularly for women and youth entrepreneurs, fostering a more robust and inclusive African food economy.

EI02👤 African agri-food SMEs and start-ups👤 Smallholder farmers and producer organisations👤 Women and youth in agri-food value chains

I2Improved sustainability and fairness of African food systemsEnvironmentalSocial

The project's outcomes will contribute to more environmentally sustainable agricultural practices and fairer value distribution. This leads to enhanced food safety for African consumers, better working conditions for producers, and a reduced environmental footprint, aligning with the EU Green Deal and AU Agenda 2063.

EI01👤 Smallholder farmers and producer organisations👤 African food system actors (processors, traders)👤 Civil society organisations (CSOs)

I3Enhanced evidence-based policy making for food system transformationPolicyScientific

By generating validated data and demonstrating successful models, the project will provide credible evidence to inform and influence trade and agricultural policies. This supports the harmonisation of non-tariff measures and the development of regulations that foster sustainable and fair trade between Africa and the EU.

EI04👤 Policy makers and regulators (national, regional)👤 African research and technology organisations

I4Increased scalability and replication of validated food system innovationsEconomicScientific

The project will produce well-documented and validated solutions with clear potential for adaptation in other contexts. Through active dissemination of knowledge and results, the project fosters a wider uptake of successful innovations, creating a ripple effect that extends the project's value far beyond its initial scope and duration.

EI06👤 African agri-food SMEs and start-ups👤 African research and technology organisations

Imposed project structure (read-only preview)

— defined by the call, created automatically when you start your project

Work packages / sprints (3)

WP1

Phase 1 - Design

M1–M3 · 30% payment

WP2

Phase 2 - Development

M4–M9 · 50% payment

WP3

Phase 3 - Validation

M10–M12 · 20% payment

Key results / TRL targets (4)

KR1

Validated and expanded sustainability datasets

TRL 3 → TRL 6

KR2

Geospatial maps

TRL 3 → TRL 6

KR3

Platform usability assessment report

TRL 3 → TRL 6

KR4

Report on data gaps and lessons learned

TRL 3 → TRL 6

Deliverables (3) — imposed by the call

Activity plan

Results demonstration

Report on market or community associated activities

M12

Milestones (3) — imposed by the call

MS1

Completion of Phase 1

M330%

MS2

Completion of Phase 2

M950%

MS3

Completion of Phase 3

M1220%

📄 Application forms

📄 Technical application form (Part B)

🛠

Fully managed by GrantForge

Click Create proposal above to start writing this form inside GrantForge. The structure below is what we generate for you.

Applicants must follow the provided proposal template structure. The proposal, including all tables, figures, and references, must not exceed a limit of 15 pages. The cover page and Table of Contents are excluded from this limit. External evaluators are instructed to dismiss any pages beyond the 15th page from the evaluation. The budget tables (Annex 6) and Appendix 1 are also excluded from the page limit, though applicants should aim to limit the budget section to one page.

Formatting requirements include using Arial font, a minimum font size of 11 points for body text (including tables), a minimum paragraph spacing of 6 pts, and single line spacing. The page size must be A4, with all margins (top, bottom, left, right) at least 15 mm. Incomplete applications or those not complying with these requirements will be excluded from evaluation.

Proposal Structure:

1 General Information
- 1.1 General details
- 1.2 Executive Summary
- 1.3 Applicant Information
2 Proposal Description
- 2.1 General Description
- 2.2 Objectives
- 2.3 Work Plan and Activities
- 2.4 Team's Capacity
- 2.5 Expected Results and Deliverables
3 Business Impact
- 3.1 Food System Challenge and Opportunity
- 3.2 Value Creation and Sustainability
- 3.3 Scalability and Transferability
- 3.4 Barrier, Risk, and Mitigation
4 Technology Impact
- 4.1 Description of Applied Technologies or Tools
- 4.2 Technology Readiness Level
5 Other Aspects
- 5.1 Impact on the FCI4Africa Ecosystem
- 5.2 Environmental and Other Sustainability Impacts
- 5.3 Societal Impact
- 5.4 Multi-actor's Involvement
- 5.5 Ethical and Legal Considerations
6 Costs and funding
- 6.1 Deliverables List
- 6.2 Budget and Cost Justification
Appendix 1

📋 Administrative form (Part A)

Applicants are required to provide specific administrative information within the proposal template. This includes:

General Details:

Field	Description
Proposal Title	Insert text here
Proposal Acronym	Insert text here

Applicant Information:

Field	Description
Organisation Name	Insert text here
Proposal Acronym	Insert text here
Type of partner	e.g., start-up, SME, private entities, public organisations
Country / Full Address	Insert text here
VAT Number	Insert text here
Legal Representative Name	Insert text here
Legal Representative Email	Insert text here
Contact Person Name	Insert text here
Contact Person Phone	Insert text here
Contact Person Email	Insert text here

💰 Budget template (Part C)

Applicants must use the Budget template provided as an Excel file in the Open Call kit to calculate their application budget. The completed workbook should be saved and submitted as a separate PDF during the application phase, with only the green-highlighted fields to be filled in.

All costs must be entered in EUR currency, in the full amount (e.g., €50,000.00). VAT is eligible as a cost, except when the beneficiary can deduct or refund the VAT. Sub-grantees should be aware that payments will be made in EUR, and any related costs may be incurred by them.

Adequate budget must be allocated to dissemination activities, with a minimum of 7% of the funding recommended for deployment of such activities (e.g., organisation of information/field days, workshops, informal events to promote FCI4Africa results).

Deliverables and Budget Allocation:

The budget is tied to three mandatory deliverables, summarising each implementation phase, with specific cost limits:

No.	Name	Type	Delivery Date	Phase	Note
1.	D1. Activity plan	R	M03	Design	Cannot exceed 20% of the overall budget
2.	D2. Results demonstration	R	M09	Development	Cannot exceed 50% of the overall budget
3.	D3. Report on dissemination activities and lessons learned	R	M12	Validation	Cannot exceed 30% of the overall budget
Total Deliverables Cost					100%

📎 Documents & links

📎 Call documents & links

🏛
Programme website
Institutional / marketing website of the parent programme.
https://fci4africa.eu/open-calls/
✉
Programme contact
Email of the programme office for questions.
mailto:fci4africa@opencalls.fund