African Agriculture Knowledge transfer partnerships (R3): Innovate UK investing up to £2.5 million in this strand

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Deadline: 5-Jul-23

UK registered higher or further education institutions, RTOs or Catapults, can apply for a share of up to £2.5m from the African agriculture KTP, working with a knowledge base and business partner registered in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya or South Africa.

This Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) competition is part of the African agriculture strand of KTP. Innovate UK is investing up to £2.5 million towards the funding of projects in this strand.

The partnership will bring new skills and the latest academic thinking into the business partner to deliver a specific, strategic innovation project. Your project must be in one of the following areas:

• primary crop and livestock production, including aquaculture
• non-food uses of crops, excluding ornamentals
• challenges in food processing, distribution or storage, and value addition, such as through a change in the physical state or form of the product
• improving the availability and accessibility of safe, healthy and nutritious foods

Funding Information

• The project’s total costs must not exceed £250,000 and must be split equally between the UK and the African knowledge base partners at £125,000 each.
• The business partner is responsible for their own costs. Projects must be between 18 and 24 months.

Projects they will not fund

• They will not fund:
  • projects that are not strategic for the business partner
  • projects that do not demonstrate a genuine market opportunity or viable route to market
  • research projects
  • projects where the business partner is a public sector organisation
  • projects which are classed as State aid under EC regulations or a subsidy under the EU-UK TCA
  • undertakings which gain a selective economic or commercial advantage from the funding
• They are also not funding projects with the following themes:
  • forestry or ornamentals
  • wild-capture fisheries
  • equine
  • crops for energy production

Eligibility Criteria

• The African agriculture strand of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme supports a partnership between:
  • a UK registered higher education or further education institution, research and technology organisation (RTO) or Catapult (which they will refer to as the ‘UK knowledge base’)
  • an African business or not for profit organisation (which they will refer to collectively as the ‘business partner’)
  • a knowledge base in Africa (which they will refer to as the ‘African knowledge base’)
• The African business and knowledge base must both be based in one of the following countries:
  • Republic of Ghana
  • Federal Republic of Nigeria
  • Republic of Kenya
  • Republic of South Africa
• The African Agriculture KTP does not support projects where the business partner is in the public sector.
• Under current restrictions, this competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian and Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian and Belarusian source.
• The UK knowledge base partner must:
  • be a UK registered higher education (HE) or further education (FE) institution, Research Technology Organisation (RTO) or Catapult.
  • be registered as a knowledge base with the KTP programme.
  • be able to invite one business or not-for-profit organisation from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya or South Africa to join the application and collaborate with them on the development of the project.
  • invite one African knowledge base from the same African country as the business partner to join the application and collaborate with them on the development of the project.
  • invite one knowledge transfer adviser to support the application.
  • ensure that neither knowledge base have ownership of 50% or more of the business partner or a controlling interest via a shareholder agreement.
  • ensure associates are recruited in a demonstrably open and fair manner.
  • allow associates to participate in the typical working patterns of the business for the majority of the project, unless working virtually, this should take place at the business partner’s premises.
  • agree to provide at least half a day per week of academic support for the associate.
  • complete the application form in partnership with the African business and knowledge base.
  • make sure the application is completed and submitted with the agreement of a knowledge transfer adviser before the competition closes.
  • submit a current full economic costing (fEC) letter with each application if you are using the full fEC costing model and support the project in accordance with its provision.
• African Business partner
  • They use the term ‘business partner’ for businesses and not for profit organisations. Business partners cannot work alone.
  • Business partners must develop the project with a UK knowledge base and a knowledge base from their own country who can provide the right skills to meet the knowledge gap within the business
  • They encourage business partners to approach knowledge bases directly to discuss the suitability of KTP for their specific circumstances.
  • The business partner must:
    • be a business, of any size, or a not-for-profit organisation registered in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya or South Africa
    • collaborate with a UK knowledge base, registered with KTP and a knowledge base from their own country
    • have 2 or more full time equivalent employees
    • determine the size of their business or group
    • declare the total number of employees within the business and if part of a group of businesses, within the group
    • complete the application form in partnership with the knowledge base partners
    • host the associate and provide them with day to day supervisory support
• The business partner must provide evidence of their ability to financially support their exploitation of the project. They are required to provide financial accounts from the current financial year and the previous two years.
• Other supporting documentation may be required. For businesses less than 3 years old, the knowledge base or Knowledge Transfer Adviser will give further guidance.
• If the business is part of a group, it is the overall size of the group must be declared.
• Large businesses can apply if they are not part of an international group.
• Subcontractors are not allowed in this competition.

For more information, visit Innovate UK.