The Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge aims to recognize new products, services, and best practices that can help farmers, consumers, and food companies to increase production effectiveness, competitiveness, and resilience while conserving agrobiodiversity.
In an open innovation approach, the 2021 Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge aims to:
•Connect different actors who are motivated to improve global and community-based food systems.
•Attract and support innovators to scale up their solutions through a long-term research and development collaboration with CGIAR and its partners.
•Identify innovators who could help advance research by sharing ideas and solutions.
Global
Research grant
Technical assessment (e.g. technical studies, capacity assessment)
Transfer of technology, specialized knowledge and know-how
The Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge is seeking innovators driven by a passion for solving challenges in the agri-food sector. In the context of the 2nd International Agrobiodiversity Congress, November 15-18, 2021, the Innovation Challenge will recognize the best disruptive innovators and offer them an opportunity to pitch their solutions to transform food systems through the use and conservation of agrobiodiversity and to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The challenge will highlight leading innovations that are helping to use, conserve, and consume agrobiodiversity in ways that are better for people and for the environment. The competition is open to individual founders, private companies, and institutions.
Applications should be submitted through the Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge webpage. Selected applications will be invited to the final stage and given a space on the Congress website.
Applicants can only submit original works for which they are the sole inventors and copyright holders. In the case of a group of co-founders, the names and ages of all authors must be listed in the application form and will be considered as a single application.
All innovations must apply to agrobiodiversity conservation and consumption practices and should aim to include climate change adaptation measures. Application forms that are incomplete, do not comply with the terms and conditions specified in the call, or are submitted after the deadline, will not be considered. No applicants under the age of 18 will be considered for the Award, unless represented by a parent or legal guardian. Participation is free of charge. Preference will be given to applications by teams that have developed solutions to address the needs of the rural poor and/or communities in fragile and conflict-affected states or heavily affected by the aftermath of COVID-19.
