By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
FOOD Trade East and Southern Africa (FTESA) has launched a Soyabean Challenge Fund to grow the regional value chains.
The fund further seeks to stimulate innovative business models in private sector companies and private sector led consortiums that will unlock barriers in the regional soyabean value chains.
FTESA  is a five-year trade enhancement and promotion programme focusing on staple food crops,  funded by the United Kingdom (UK) Government and managed by Development Alternatives Inc (DMI).
The Soyabean Challenge Fund round which is expected to last for 18 months, was open to applicants in nine countries across East and Southern Africa.
This is contained in a statement issued by FTESA and made available to the Times in Lusaka yesterday.
FoodTrade would provide up to 49 per cent of the total proposed budget of proposals received, with successful applicants entitled to grants ranging between £250,000 to £800,000 per proposal.
FTESA Team Leader Marc Van Uytvanck explained that the development and improvement of regional soyabean value chain systems was the third pillar of its program, which focuses on enhancing and promoting trade in staple foods.
Mr Uytvanck said the fund  was  targeted at private sector organisations, or private-sector-led consortia in any of the FTESA countries of interest.
These countries include Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique.
“Partnerships that help address market failures in storage, inputs, service markets, as well as coordination mechanisms and policy regulation will help improve the yields and livelihoods of soyabean farmers, contribute towards strengthening food security, and translate
into several benefits to consumers,” he said.
The grants are further aimed at stimulating increased production and value addition of soyabeans in East and Southern Africa, with benefits anticipated including increased availability of livestock farming inputs.
Mr Uytvanck also stated  private sector companies,  would  be expected to provide smallholders farmers with an off-taker market for soyabean produce at a fair price, adequate input supply, as well as agriculture extension and support services.
A wide number of projects were eligible for funding and these include projects involved in: farmer mobilization, processing and value addition, bulking and aggregation storage mechanisms, marketing, as well as investments aimed at increasing the production of soybean at the farmer level.
Applications will be accepted until May 6 this year, which will be followed by verification, due diligence and inception stages, with disbursement of funds expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2016.
According to the statement, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate evidence of support to women and youth, as well as collaboration with farmer organisations, input suppliers, agriculture extension service providers, credit providers and other providers working to increase soyabean production.