This regional programme is designed to discover innovators and strengthen new innovations from Southeast Asia. Categories are early-stage innovations (proposals, ideas, concepts and prototypes) and scale-stage innovation (proven social innovations with the potential and capacity to increase impact). Initiatives by participant teams have ranged from waste management, agriculture, and environment — among others. Finalists will showcase their innovations to investors and other corporate organisations. The deadline for entries is 09 September 2017. More about the ASEAN Impact Challenge
agriculture
Tata Group — Tata Social Enterprise Challenge, 6th Edition
The Tata Group, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC), seeks to identify promising social enterprises in India. Proposals are invited for social enterprises in agriculture, water and sanitation, energy, and other thematic areas. The proposed enterprises should create social impact in India, although applicants do not have to be Indian nationals. The top three winners of the competition will win cash grants up to 2 lakhs each, to be invested in their ventures. Selected social entrepreneurs will be offered mentorship and an opportunity to be incubated at IIMC. The deadline for submitting impact proposals (business plans) is 30 September 2017. Link
UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council — Research on Pulses and Oilseeds in India.
The UK’s BBSRC and India’s Department of Biotechnology encourage multi-institutional applications between UK and Indian researchers to increase the productivity, resilience, sustainability, and quality of pulses or oilseeds grown for food or feed in India. Up to £3.5 million is available from BBSRC to support the UK components of this research, to be matched by DBT’s support for the Indian components, for projects of up to three years. The application deadline is 24 October 2017. Link
International Initiative for Impact Evaluation — Vegetable Oil Development in Uganda
The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) invites research organizations and consortia to apply for a grant to to evaluate the impact of phase two of the Government of Uganda’s Vegetable Oil Development Project. The project aims to increase the income of smallholder farmers by boosting vegetable oil production. The lead grant-holding organisation should be registered in Uganda, although the lead principal investigator may be of any nationality, and may be located anywhere in the world. The research team should included at least one Ugandan national who is a resident of Uganda, and who is engaged in a substantive role. Grants are up to US$50 thousand to the selected research team. The deadline for submitting applications is 14 August 2017. Link
British Council – Agroforestry Workshop in Kenya
The British Council accepts applications for the agroforestry workshop on “Role of small holder agroforestry systems in the arid and semi-arid regions in combating climate change”. The workshop aims to develop a sustainable network of researchers across UK, Kenya, and South Africa. Early-career researchers are invited to apply to attend the workshop. All travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the Newton Researcher Links programme. Deadline for application is 30 August 2017. About the Workshop
Netherlands Enterprise Agency — Sustainable Water Fund, Round 2
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency manages the Sustainable Water Fund (FDW) as a public-private partnership for water safety and water security in developing countries. Projects are collective initiatives between governmental bodies, industries, and NGOs. The thematic areas are improved access to drinking water and sanitation (including solid waste); efficient and sustainable water use, particularly for agriculture; and safe deltas and improved basin management. The deadline for concept notes (second round) is 08 December 2017. Link
Landesa Rural Development Institute — Women’s Land Rights Visiting Professionals 2018
Landesa’s program for Visiting Professionals supports motivated professionals to enhance their ability to improve women’s land rights in the developing world. The program is currently open to professionals working in China, India, Liberia, Myanmar, or Tanzania. Landesa provides orientation and leadership training in Seattle (USA). Applicants should have at least five years of development experience. The application deadline is 20 August 2017. Link
Partnership for Economic Policy — Policy Analysis on Growth and Employment
With funding from the governments of UK and Canada, PEP has launched a new call for proposals addressing “Policy Analysis on Growth and Employment” (PAGE II, Round 2) in developing countries. The issues to be examined span a broad spectrum of development policy, including themes related to labor productivity in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and others. PAGE targets teams of researchers in developing countries — with preference for applicants from low-income, fragile, and/or conflict states. Applying teams will generally need university-level training in economics or equivalent experience. PAGE positively encourages teams with a female researcher as project leader. The deadline for applications (English, French, Spanish) is 13 September 2017. Link
British Council — UK-China PhD Placements
The UK-China Joint Research and Innovation Partnership Fund is a sponsorship opportunity for UK and Chinese PhD students and their supervisors to spend three to twelve months (for PhD students) and up to three months (for supervisors) at higher education institutions in China or the UK. The focus is on research areas that include food and water security, environmental technologies, and energy — among others. Applicants must find a host institution in their target country, and placements must start between January and December 2018. The application process closes on 20 September 2017. Link
Research Councils UK — Interdisciplinary Research Hubs to Address Intractable Challenges
Research Councils UK invites proposals from eligible UK research organisations to establish research hubs addressing currently intractable challenges faced by developing countries. Examples might include but are not restricted to achieving economic growth in an environmentally sustainable way while also ensuring social cohesion and adequate access to safe food, water, and services; development of resilient infrastructure and energy production in the context of climate change; achieving food security in ways that make agriculture, food production, and consumption more environmentally and economically sustainable; and urban development that fosters diversity whilst tackling air pollution and other environmental hazards. The intention to submit must be completed by 29 September 2017. Link