The National Research Fund in its endeavor to develop the national research capacity through collaborative research has partnered with the Belmont Forum Organisation, the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, and other research funding agencies, to launch a call for transdisciplinary research proposals focused on critical global environmental challenges facing the African continent. This initiative, endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, seeks to foster innovative solutions that address the interconnectedness of environmental and societal issues within the African borders. This call presents an ideal opportunity for Kenyan researchers to collaborate with other researchers across Africa and the world.

Key Themes

The call invites proposals that will address one or more of the following interconnected themes:

• Water-Energy-Food-Health Nexus: Investigating the complex relationships between these essential resources and their impact on human well-being.
• Pollution: Addressing pollution’s multifaceted sources and consequences on ecosystems and communities.
• Disaster Preparedness, Responsiveness, and Recovery: Developing strategies to mitigate, respond to, and recover from environmental disasters.

Project Requirements

Successful proposals will strongly emphasize transdisciplinary collaboration, integrating expertise from the social sciences, humanities, economics, natural sciences, engineering, technology, and crucially, societal partners. Projects are expected to span three years, with a focus on generating knowledge that contributes to understanding, mitigating, and adapting to global environmental change.

Eligibility and Evaluation

Research consortia must comprise three or more participants from at least three different countries, with a minimum of two African nations represented. Proposals will be evaluated based on intellectual merit, fit-to-call objectives, consortium quality, co-production and societal relevance, resource management, data management, and open science practices.

How to Apply:

Detailed guidelines, national/regional requirements, and the submission portal can be accessed on the Belmont Forum Grant Operations website: http://bfgo.org. Additional information, training resources, and country-specific annexes are available on the Belmont Forum website through this link: Africa Regional Call.

Timeline

The call features a two-stage submission process, with pre-proposals due on 1^st September 2024, and full proposals due on 31^st October 2024.

Contact

For further information, please visit the Belmont Forum website or contact NRF Kenya through info@nrf.go.ke