An exciting opportunity has been launched for innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers across Africa! The FCI4Africa Project, a flagship initiative funded under Horizon Europe, has opened a €400,000 Open Call to support innovative solutions that promote fair, sustainable, and climate-neutral food systems across the continent 🌍
🌱 About the Opportunity
The Open Call aims to empower startups, SMEs, research institutions, and multidisciplinary teams to develop, test, and scale innovative solutions within Africa’s agri-food sector.
Selected projects will receive up to €50,000 each, with a total of 8 sub-projects to be funded. These solutions should address key challenges such as:
Improving trade across African food systems
Tackling non-tariff barriers
Enhancing market access for producers and businesses
Strengthening sustainability and resilience in food value chains
🎯 Key Objectives
Applicants are invited to align their proposals with one of the following:
Objective 1:
Test, validate, and improve existing FCI4Africa tools, business concepts, and use cases
Objective 2:
Develop new tools or ideas that address critical food system challenges
All selected projects are expected to generate valuable datasets that will contribute to improving tools, methodologies, and innovations within the FCI4Africa ecosystem.
💰 Funding & Timeline
Total Funding Pool: €400,000
Grant per Project: Up to €50,000
Number of Projects: 8
📅 Application Deadline: 30th June, 2026 (17:00 CEST – Brussels time)
🗓️ Project Timeline:
Start: November 2026
End: October 2027
Projects will follow a structured 3-phase approach:
Design Phase – Develop activity plans
Development Phase – Implement and demonstrate results
Validation Phase – Share outcomes and lessons learned
🌍 Who Should Apply?
Startups and Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Research and academic institutions
Agritech innovators and developers
Multidisciplinary teams working on food systems
🌟 Why Apply?
Access funding to scale impactful innovations
Contribute to transforming Africa’s food systems
Collaborate with international partners and experts
Gain visibility within a major EU-funded initiative
📩 How to Apply
Interested applicants should submit their proposals through the official link below:
Link👇
FCI4Africa launches €400,000 Open Call to advance fair and inclusive food systems in Africa
Note: Early application is highly recommended to allow time for proposal development and submission before the deadline.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.