Better Preservation, Restoration and Regeneration of Natural Resource Base and its Diverse Ecosystems

Description

1) Objective

The global objective of this call for proposals is: to contribute to sustainable and inclusive transformation of food systems in Malawi. The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals is/are: Better preservation, restoration and regeneration of natural resource base and its diverse ecosystems. The priorities of this call for proposals are:

• i) Land use planning, coupled with land registration – coordinated with traditional authorities to slow down or reverse the process of farm expansion into forest and marginal lands (integrated land use development – crops, livestock, forests and advisory service etc.).
• ii) Planting of fast growing trees on customary land and around Malawi’s Forest Reserves and other protected areas (forest fringes as buffer zones) for biomass, promotion of higher value forest plantations in function of domestic wood industry, promotion of trees on farm land, agro-ecology and agroforestry – using landscape approaches.
• iii) Enhancing soil and water management across the territory to reduce the speed of water flow, prevent the build-up of large volumes of water, enhance infiltration and prevent sediment loading: Soil and water conservation activities, integrated climate change adaptation (ex: giant bamboo planting, hedge rolls of nitrogen fixing trees or other multipurpose trees, trees on farm; etc…), disaster risks reduction.
• iv) Financing Sustainable Forest/Natural Resources Management: Explore Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) with forestry and land resources conservation on the other hand and agriculture sector (irrigation), the power sector, the town water authorities and tourism sector etc. as main clients. Engage sectors in dialogue to determine how much these sectors can contribute in form of payment for avoided deforestation or payment for afforestation, reforestation and forest, water and land conservation.
• i) Additional elements to be considered when formulating the Action: Provide clear linkages of the proposed activities/actions with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) priorities, past and on-going climate change adaptation initiatives in the districts.
• ii) Show how the proposed action builds up on the past and on-going EU funded initiatives in the district, such as (but not limited to) Improved Forest Management for Sustainable Livelihoods Programme II, Kulima, Afikepo, FIDP II, other UCHI components, etc…
• iii) Where possible and applicable, build synergies with ECHO funded humanitarian interventions in the field of disaster risk reduction and management, early warning systems, etc…
• iv) Where possible and applicable, build synergies with LoCAL4 facility initiatives in districts that are implementing the programme.

2) Eligibility

In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must: (1) be a legal person and (2) be non-profit-making and (3) be a specific type of organisation such as: District Councils and (4) be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.

3) Location

Actions must take place in Malawi.

4) Budget

The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is €10,000,000. Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the minimum €750,000 and maximum €1,000,000. Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the minimum (80%) and maximum (95%) percentage of total eligible costs of the action. The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 48 months nor exceed 54 months.

5) Application

The concept note together with the declaration by the lead applicant must be submitted online via PROSPECT. The deadline for the submission is 14 July 2023.