The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) of the New Zealand Government has been supporting FONTAGRO on a joint research call through the Global Research Alliance to help in the global effort to cut emissions.

Eight projects were approved as part of the 2024 call, of which four will be co-financed by FONTAGRO and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) of the New Zealand Government, and the other four solely by FONTAGRO. The total of the call amounts to US$6,656,652.

In line with Strategy I of the MTP 2020-2025, which aims to increase the number of technologies and innovations with high potential for adoption and impact on the resilience and sustainability of agricultural systems and agroecosystems, these initiatives stood out among 54 projects presented, focusing on innovative solutions to address climate change without increasing greenhouse gas emissions while promoting regional collaboration.

The final projects were evaluated by an external panel of international specialists with extensive academic and professional backgrounds, who identified the best initiatives according to the following criteria: scientific and technical quality, economic, environmental, and social impact, institutional capacity, and knowledge management, among others.

During the XIX Extraordinary Meeting of FONTAGRO’s Board of Directors held on July 11^th in Quito, Ecuador, FONTAGRO’s Board of Directors announced the winners of the 2024 project call: “Innovations to improve the sustainability and resilience of productive systems in the face of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean without increasing greenhouse gas emissions.”

In total, 54 projects were received, from which eight winning projects were selected and will receive funding for a maximum requested amount of US$300,000. These projects should last a maximum of 36 months.

In addition, it was established that the proposed activities should be carried out in at least two FONTAGRO member countries, thus contributing to collaboration and implementation at the regional level.

Since 1998, FONTAGRO has held 23 calls—almost one per year—with the aim of identifying and documenting successful experiences that can be scaled up by other funding actors within the global innovation system.

Projects funded by MPI New Zealand are part of the Latin America and the Caribbean: Climate Smart Agriculture (LAC) Initiative in support for the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases. Through the LAC programme New Zealand seeks partnerships across Latin America and the Caribbean, investing in areas of common interest and values, sharing of expertise, technical knowledge and experience. Partnerships that lead to sustainable outcomes and mutual benefits for farmers where the farming challenges are similar. MPI wish to thank all those who submitted projects in to the 2024 Extraordinary Call.

 

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About FONTAGRO

FONTAGRO was created 1998 with the purpose of promoting the increase of the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources and the reduction of poverty in the region. The objective of FONTAGRO is to establish itself as a sustainable financing mechanism for the development of agricultural technology and innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean and Spain, and to establish a forum for the discussion of priority topics of technological innovation. The member countries are: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. In the last 27 years 204 regional agricultural innovation platforms have been co-financed for an amount of US $ 150.7 million, which has reached 531 institutions and 35 countries worldwide.