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Overview

• Focus of This Profile: The Flemish International Cooperation Agency makes grants in support of agriculture, water and sanitation, and other rural development in southern Africa.

• Principal Office: Belgium (Flanders)

The Flemish International Cooperation Agency (FICA) supports the international policies of the Flemish Community in Belgium. Within Belgium’s federated structure, the government of Flanders manages social and economic matters that include foreign affairs and development aid.

Flemish development cooperation -- multilateral and bilateral -- contributes to implementing the Millennium Development Goals. In bilateral cooperation, FICA concentrates on three countries of southern Africa: Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa.

Among several program areas in FICA, the one of central relevance in the Terra Viva Grants Directory is Food Security.  Projects within Food Security include support for micro-enterprises in agriculture and rural development; fair-trade production and marketing of agricultural products; agricultural diversification; and training and capacity building in agriculture.

FICA also assists projects in potable water, community sanitation, and small-scale irrigation.

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Grant Programs for Agriculture, Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources

• Organizations in Africa: Most of FICA’s financial assistance for partner countries in southern Africa is through their government ministries and departments, provincial governments, and parastatal organizations. FICA also works with NGOs, educational institutions, and foundations which collaborate in the government-directed programs.

• Organizations in Belgium: FICA supports municipal governments in Flanders to launch activities in fair trade and school initiatives with partners in developing countries.

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Geographical Distribution of Grant Activities in Developing Countries

In its bilateral programs, FICA works with three partner countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa

TVG Note: In South Africa, FICA focuses on Limpopo, the Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal.

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Examples of Recent Grants

€1.4 million to Tsogang (South Africa) to coordinate with the Department of Water and Forestry (South Africa) on water and sanitation projects in remote areas of Sekhukhune District.

€450 thousand to the Greater Saint Lucia Wetland Park Authority (South Africa) for training in support of nature-based tourism in KwaZulu-Natal.

€500 thousand to the Malawi Milk Producers Association (Malawi) to increase organizational capacity in Malawi’s regional milk producers groups, and to raise the country’s milk production through improved dairy management.

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Grant Size and Program Size

In 2009, grant size ranged from €10 thousand to €1.5 million for 47 grants in South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique.

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Application Information

There is no formal application window.

FICA’s website (“Contacts”) posts the names and contact information of its representatives in Brussels, South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique.

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Comments

FICA’s website is available in Flemish (Dutch) and English.

FICA publishes an annual activities report. The annual report offers useful guidance concerning the aims and activities of Flemish development cooperation. (TVG Note: At the time of this update, the latest publicly available report is for year 2009.)

The VVOB (Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance) is another component of Flemish development aid. VVOB supports education and training in several thematic areas, including agriculture and environment in some countries. Partner countries are Dem Rep Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in Sub-Saharan Africa; Cambodia and Vietnam in Southeast Asia; and Ecuador and Suriname in South America. Interested individuals should study VVOB’s website (linked below in Information Resources).

The Flemish Fund for Tropical Forests was established by the Flemish Ministry of Environment in 2002. The Fund made its latest call for proposals in 2011, with a focus on five countries in South America (FFTP is linked below).

TVG Note:   Terra Viva Grants presents a separate profile of Belgian Development Cooperation. Link

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Information Sources for this Profile

Flemish International Cooperation Agency Link

VVOB  Link 

Flemish Fund for Tropical Forests  Link  

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Last Profile Review

November 2011

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