The FCI4Africa project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, has launched its first Open Call (OC1) aimed at strengthening fairness, resilience, and inclusivity within African food systems. The initiative is designed to support innovation-driven solutions that address structural challenges in food value chains across the continent.

With a total funding envelope of €400,000, the programme will support eight sub-projects, each eligible to receive up to €50,000. The call targets researchers, innovators, and technology developers working on scalable and practical solutions for food system transformation.

The overarching objective is to enhance the sustainability and equity of food systems by enabling data-driven experimentation, tool development, and validation of innovative approaches.

Objectives of the Open Call

Applicants are invited to contribute to one of two strategic objectives:

Objective 1: Testing, validating, and improving existing business concepts and tools developed within the FCI4Africa Use Cases
Objective 2: Designing and developing new tools and solutions that respond to identified challenges within African food systems

All funded projects are expected to generate high-quality datasets that will contribute to refining methodologies, tools, and business models within the broader FCI4Africa framework.

Funding Structure and Implementation Timeline

The Open Call is structured to ensure phased implementation, enabling systematic development, testing, and validation of selected innovations.

Total funding available: €400,000
Funding per project: Up to €50,000
Number of projects supported: 8

Selected projects will run between November 2026 and October 2027, following a three-phase implementation model:

Phase 1: Design Phase

Duration: November 2026 – January 2027
Focus: Development of detailed activity plans
Output: Approved implementation roadmap

Phase 2: Development Phase

Duration: February 2027 – July 2027
Focus: Implementation and demonstration of project activities
Output: Verified results and technical outputs

Phase 3: Validation Phase

Duration: August 2027 – October 2027
Focus: Dissemination, evaluation, and knowledge sharing
Output: Final report including lessons learned and dissemination outcomes

Eligibility Criteria

The Open Call is structured as a single-applicant scheme, meaning consortium applications are not permitted. Eligible applicants include:

Universities and academic research institutions
Technology providers and research and development SMEs
Innovation-focused start-ups
Industrial actors developing new technologies
Multidisciplinary stakeholders engaged in food system innovation

Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to implement research and innovation activities aligned with the objectives of the programme.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the official Open Call platform. All submissions are required to be completed in English and submitted before the deadline.

Submission deadline: 30 June 2026, 17:00 CEST (Brussels time)
Submission platform: Official Open Call portal (online submission only)

Applicants are required to comply fully with the terms and conditions outlined in the Open Call information package. Submission of an application constitutes acceptance of all programme requirements.

For clarifications or inquiries, applicants may contact: fci4africa@opencalls.fund

More information is available at: https://fci4africa.eu/

Programme Context

FCI4Africa is implemented under the Horizon Europe research and innovation framework, with a total European Commission contribution of approximately €4.5 million. The programme runs over a four-year period (2024–2028) and brings together a consortium of 14 partners from 7 countries.

The initiative is coordinated by:

Project Coordinator: Shiferaw Feleke
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Tanzania
Communication Manager: Thanos Arampatzis
reframe.food, Greece

The project is supported by a multidisciplinary network of research institutions, technology actors, and innovation partners working to transform food systems in Africa.

Implementation Approach

The selected sub-projects will follow a structured implementation cycle designed to ensure innovation quality and knowledge generation:

Phase-based delivery model supporting iterative development
Strong emphasis on data generation and evidence building
Focus on validation and scalability of solutions
Integration of lessons learned for broader system impact

The programme aims to ensure that outputs not only address immediate challenges but also contribute to long-term improvements in food system governance and sustainability.

Strategic Importance

The Open Call reflects the broader ambition of Horizon Europe to promote inclusive innovation and address global challenges through research and technology. In the context of African food systems, the initiative seeks to:

Strengthen resilience in agricultural value chains
Promote equitable access to food system innovations
Support evidence-based decision-making
Encourage collaboration between research, industry, and innovation actors

By funding targeted, small-scale interventions, FCI4Africa aims to generate scalable solutions with long-term systemic impact.

VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering the funding. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.