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National Agriculutral Research Organisation

Competitive Grants Scheme

Calls for Fisheries Research

(a) Background

The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), which comprises the Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARIs), the universities, Community Based Organisations (CBO), Non –Government organisations (NGOs), local government, private researchers, tertiary institutions, innovators, agro-industry, extension agents, and farmers operates a Competitive Grant Scheme (CGS) for the National Agricultural Research System (NARS). The National Competitive Agricultural Research and Development Fund (NCARDF) focuses on research issues of national priorities that are not carried out as core activities by the public agricultural research institutes. It offers an opportunity for registered private research service providers to access public funds to do agricultural research using public resources to meet the demand of end users. Research supported under this scheme is expected to be highly innovative, and responsive to poverty reduction and Prosperity for All programs, while addressing hunger, environment, gender and other social concerns. Projects that deliver marketable products and promote partnership and synergies are highly encouraged.

(b) Research Themes

Implementation of research has been re-organised into five new research themes and five Impact Areas namely:

Research Themes:

  1. Understanding people, their livelihood systems, demands and impacts of innovations. This theme is designed to make NARO research agenda people focused
  2. Enhancing innovation process and partnerships. This theme addresses new methods of doing business
  3. Enhancing integrated management of natural resources. This theme ensures that research processes and products enhances environmental services and mitigates degradation of natural resource base.
  4. Developing technological options responding to demands and opportunities. This theme focuses on generating knowledge and technologies to respond to market opportunities
  5. Linking producers, market opportunities and policies is should create favourable environments for maximizing market access and incomes to end users of technologies.

Impact Areas:

  1. Enhanced utilisation of research outputs/Relevance
  2. Improved farmers access to markets/Marketability
  3. Enhanced agricultural productivity
  4. Improved management and sustained use of natural resource base
  5. Enhanced sensitivity gender and social concerns

(c) Call for Proposals

The National priority setting exercise identified the following areas for competitive grant schemes under Fisheries research area as follows:

Research area 1

  1. Enhancing impacts of appropriate policies and strategies of sustainable capture fisheries in Uganda .

Research Area 2

  1. Increasing productivity and profitability of aquaculture systems.

(d) Available Resources

In this particular round/call the total funds available for each successful proposal will not exceed US$ 90,000 during a period of two to three years. The more cost effective and realistic the project is the higher the chances of being selected.

(e) Eligible Institutions

Scientists from Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARIs),Private Research Institutes, Universities (including post-graduate students), other research service providers who are eligible to carry out research, are encouraged to form multidisciplinary teams and to develop proposals in consultation with end –users. To be eligible for the award the applicant should be:

  1. Resident in Uganda (at least the Principal  Investigator should be resident in Uganda )
  2. Qualified to undertake the proposed research and development activity. For research the applicant should demonstrate capacity to conduct research and deliver the stated results in the proposal, and post-graduate students, should be closely supervised by an adequately qualified scientist. In the case of development activities, indication of competence should be provided.
  3. Recognised by the competent authority as an agricultural research service provider

Please note that all research is to be carried out within the The Mid Western Region .

(f) Concept Notes

Before devoting significant resources to develop full proposals, applicants are required to write short concept notes. Details are found in a document entitled “National Competitive Agricultural Research and Development Fund: Organisation, Procedures and Guidelines for Proposals” on the NARO website: http://www.naro.go.ug

(g) Submission date:

The concept note and all the supporting documents  can be sent or hand delivered by 26 June 2008 to

The Director General
National Agricultural Research Organisation
1-3 Lugard Avenue , Entebbe .
P.O. Box 295 Entebbe
Fax:  0414-321070           
Tel: 041-4-320512 / 320341/2/
Email:s dgnaro@naro.go.ug / researchdirectorate@naro.go.ug / cgs@naro.go.ug