LEGUME SYSTEMS INNOVATION LAB ANNOUNCES PHASE TWO LEADER OBJECTIVES FUNDING

CONCEPT NOTES DUE JUNE 17

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research, managed by Michigan State University under the second five-year award from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), invites concept notes for collaborative research and capacity building projects on legume systems with the potential to generate mutual benefits for developing countries and U.S. agriculture.

Maximum funding is U.S. $775,000 per project over a maximum of 40 months, with all activities to be completed by January 2028. The concept notes are the first stage in the funding process with full proposals requested from a selected subset of the concept notes received.

The Legume Systems Innovation Lab Phase two research portfolio will focus on four Leader Objectives (LOs):

LO1. Best Agronomic Practices and Services - Improved agronomic management practices and services as part of integrated, sustainable farming systems to increase yields and improve soil health.

LO2. Inclusive Inputs and Market Systems - Improved access to input and output markets for women, youth, and other often marginalized groups, including off-farm, legume-based income generating activities and increased consumption of legume-based products as part of quality diets.

LO3. Targeted Varietal Scaling and Development - New and improved legume varieties delivered via an enhanced and targeted breeding pipeline, development of a multi-country breeding network to share knowledge and genetic resources, and participation of multi-stakeholder platforms to improve product profiles and develop scaling networks. (Note that only known-marker-based varietal development will be allowed) 

LO4. Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation - Improved understanding of the role played by various legume species within local food production systems to adapt to and mitigate climate change, particularly focusing on how they impact the climate resilience of women, youth, and other often-marginalized groups. 

Funding activities will focus on select Feed the Future target countries in Central America (Guatemala and Honduras), West Africa (Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal plus aligned countries Benin and Burkina Faso), Southern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia), and the East Africa/African Great Lakes Region (DR Congo, Rwanda, and Tanzania and aligned country Burundi).

The Legume Systems Innovation Lab will focus primarily on two major crops: common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata W.)

For more information visit

https://legume.piestar-rfx.com/opportunities/all/rfp/140

 

An informational webinar will be held on May 23 12:00 Eastern Time. Register via zoom at

https://msu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEof-moqDsuHtfe5q4VNPxH4io7C_UPXPjV#/registration