Code:
ATN/RF-19885-RG
Initiative:
Seed fund
FONTAGRO Amount:
USD 155.000
Counterpart Amount:
USD 260.000
Execution time
42 Months
Total Amount:
USD 415.000
Participating countries:
United States United States Argentina Argentina Chile Chile Costa Rica Costa Rica Uruguay Uruguay
Funding source:
FONTAGRO Amount 37% Other agencies 0% Counterpart Amount 63%

Executive Summary

Since 2015, FONTAGRO has been promoting the mobilization of resources for the development of new scientific knowledge, the advancement of technologies, and innovations to support the transformation of agri-food systems in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. The FONTAGRO Board of Directors considered it necessary to create a technical cooperation for the allocation of funding aimed at facilitating the mobilization of resources along with other partners. This system is called "Seed Funds."

The budget allocated for the Seed Funds is used for workshops with expert leaders in the topics to be addressed. The goal is to understand the current situation in each participating country, allowing the development of a consensus proposal based on FONTAGRO's funding parameters. Additionally, it involves managing the leverage of funds that complement the project financing. Proposals for projects must be of high scientific quality and address regional interest topics.

As of 2023, three seed funds have been carried out, resulting in the approval of funding for a consensus project titled "Indigenous Communities and Climate Change." This project leverages funds from the Government of New Zealand, totaling USD 943,570.

For 2024, three additional seed funds will be implemented.

KEYWORDS:

Seed Fund, leverage, climate change.

The technological solution

The FONTAGRO Seed Funds project serves as a platform for the promotion of technological solutions and innovations of the agricultural sector of Latin America and the Caribbean. Through this program, initiatives addressing key challenges in agriculture, such as climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and productivity enhancement, are advanced. The technological solutions developed under these funds provide a virtual space where farmers, researchers, and sector experts can collaborate, share knowledge, and access resources for the development of more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices.
The innovations stemming from projects funded by FONTAGRO span a wide range of areas, from the use of biologicals for more ecological agriculture to the implementation of digital technologies for efficient water management and agricultural value chain enhancement. These initiatives not only contribute to the modernization of the agricultural sector but also have a positive impact on food security, rural well-being, and environmental conservation. Moreover, by fostering collaboration among diverse sector stakeholders, FONTAGRO's seed funds promote an integrated and participatory approach to addressing the most pressing challenges facing agriculture in the region.

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries of this Technical Cooperation (TC) will have access to all the knowledge generated during workshops, the development and dissemination of working papers, and the creation of regional TC proposals of broader scope. The TC anticipates the establishment of a space on the FONTAGRO website for each of the "Seed Funds" generated, where the audience can find detailed information on their progress. Simultaneously, the activities of the "Seed Funds" will be disseminated through events, press releases, and other social media communication strategies.

Main donors

Participating Organizations

Executor
  • FONTAGRO
Co-executor
  • Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Argentina
  • Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Costa Rica
  • Programa Cooperativo para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Agroalimentario y Agroindustrial del Cono Sur (PROCISUR) - Uruguay
  • Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA) - Chile
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA) - Uruguay

Graphics and data

Financing by country (in USD)
FONTAGRO Amount Other agencies Counterpart Amount

Geolocated Map

Sponsors
BID
IICA
With the support of
Fondo Coreano de Alianza para el Conocimiento en Tecnología e Innovación (KPK)