KATHMANDU: Sahaj Challenge Fund (SCF) has announced to support agri-service providers with innovative solutions to solve existing bottlenecks in the value chains of maize, cardamom, dairy products and vegetables.
The press meet of SCF Round 4 and 5 held at Aranya Boutique Hotel in Kathmandu, on Friday, brought together thematic experts, and representatives from Swisscontact, CEAPRED, Practical Action Consulting and mediapersons.
The Round 4 of SCF will seek services for sustainable and market-driven product development and quality improvement while Round 5 will seek climate and environmentally sustainable solutions for better service provision in the four value chains.
Addressing the press meet, Reema Shrestha, Team Leader, Nepal Agriculture Market Development Programme (NAMDP); spoke about Swiss contact, NAMDP, SCF, its objectives and its importance to increase agricultural service provision in Koshi Province. She highlighted how the challenge fund works to support service providers and not farmers directly. She also gave a description of how round 1 of the challenge fund focussed on logistics and round 2 focused on dairy.
Subhechchha Shrestha, Manager, Agriculture Services, NAMDP, elaborated on the theme of product development and quality improvement and its relevance to improved agricultural activities. She also spoke about how this round will support product diversification through processed foods. The SCF will support companies that provide consulting services for product formulation and quality improvement.
Brajesh Malla, Manager, Non-Agriculture Services, NAMDP, spoke on the theme of climate and environmentally sustainable solutions, explaining the existing challenges in the agricultural sector propagated through unsustainable agricultural practices. He brought clarity into the kind of companies the challenge fund will support in climate and environmentally sustainable practices.
The project’s product development and quality improvement expert, Deeptangshu Thapa, also spoke about specific challenges and potential solutions relevant to the context of Nepal. Likewise, Bipin Basnet, the project’s climate and environmentally sustainable solutions expert, spoke on how the challenge fund will work to bring sustainable change through disruptive innovation.
With financial support ranging from Rs 5 to 5 million per project, SCF will co-finance the costs involved in developing and piloting business models and solutions tailored to Koshi Province. For Round 4, the challenge fund will not support the purchase of equipment and machinery, though it will provide technical assistance to applicants if required. However, for Round 5, 30% of the support received from the challenge fund can be used for investment in equipment and machinery.
With applications now open for the challenge fund, the call for applications will end on July 23, 2023. After completion of the application period, applicants will undergo the first round of screening and applicants will be asked to submit a full proposal. Applicants who reach the second round will undergo further screening and winners of the second round will be provided support from the challenge fund.
SCF organised the event, bringing together key media houses and stakeholders, and facilitating the discussion to disseminate the relevant information regarding the challenge fund such that more agribusinesses are aware of the opportunity to develop their innovative ideas into successful businesses. With its bespoke financial and technical service support, Sahaj aims to improve access to services and foster innovation for service providers and contribute to a higher level of commercialisation and economic value-addition in the agricultural sector.
Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), NAMDP or Sahaj aims to build a thriving and inclusive agriculture sector in Nepal by catalysing income and employment growth in Nepal’s rural population. While NAMDP has already implemented Sahaj Challenge Fund Round 1 in logistical services and Round 2 in the dairy value chain, it is currently screening the applicants for Round 3 for innovative branding, packaging and distribution channel services within the dairy, maize, cardamom and vegetable value chains. In Rounds 4 and 5, Practical Action Consulting will work as the implementing partner for Swisscontact.
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Subhechchha Shrestha, Manager, Agriculture Services, NAMDP, elaborated on the theme of product development and quality improvement and its relevance to improved agricultural activities. She also spoke about how this round will support product diversification through processed foods. The SCF will support companies that provide consulting services for product formulation and quality improvement.
Brajesh Malla, Manager, Non-Agriculture Services, NAMDP, spoke on the theme of climate and environmentally sustainable solutions, explaining the existing challenges in the agricultural sector propagated through unsustainable agricultural practices. He brought clarity into the kind of companies the challenge fund will support in climate and environmentally sustainable practices.
The project’s product development and quality improvement expert, Deeptangshu Thapa, also spoke about specific challenges and potential solutions relevant to the context of Nepal. Likewise, Bipin Basnet, the project’s climate and environmentally sustainable solutions expert, spoke on how the challenge fund will work to bring sustainable change through disruptive innovation.
With financial support ranging from Rs 5 to 5 million per project, SCF will co-finance the costs involved in developing and piloting business models and solutions tailored to Koshi Province. For Round 4, the challenge fund will not support the purchase of equipment and machinery, though it will provide technical assistance to applicants if required. However, for Round 5, 30% of the support received from the challenge fund can be used for investment in equipment and machinery.
With applications now open for the challenge fund, the call for applications will end on July 23, 2023. After completion of the application period, applicants will undergo the first round of screening and applicants will be asked to submit a full proposal. Applicants who reach the second round will undergo further screening and winners of the second round will be provided support from the challenge fund.
SCF organised the event, bringing together key media houses and stakeholders, and facilitating the discussion to disseminate the relevant information regarding the challenge fund such that more agribusinesses are aware of the opportunity to develop their innovative ideas into successful businesses. With its bespoke financial and technical service support, Sahaj aims to improve access to services and foster innovation for service providers and contribute to a higher level of commercialisation and economic value-addition in the agricultural sector.
Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), NAMDP or Sahaj aims to build a thriving and inclusive agriculture sector in Nepal by catalysing income and employment growth in Nepal’s rural population. While NAMDP has already implemented Sahaj Challenge Fund Round 1 in logistical services and Round 2 in the dairy value chain, it is currently screening the applicants for Round 3 for innovative branding, packaging and distribution channel services within the dairy, maize, cardamom and vegetable value chains. In Rounds 4 and 5, Practical Action Consulting will work as the implementing partner for Swisscontact.
READ ALSO:
Published Date: June 24, 2023, 12:00 am
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