Marine Nature-based Solutions (NbS) play a significant role in climate adaptation, coastal protection and climate mitigation, but also food security as well as biodiversity conservation and for safeguarding the livelihoods of coastal populations. The 3rd open Call for Proposals of the MeerWissen Initiative aims at strengthening the knowledge base for marine and coastal NbS in selected African countries by:
- strengthening the capabilities of African partners in marine research and building knowledge through African-German partnership projects,
- stimulating the dialogue and knowledge transfer between marine researchers and policy-makers,
- fostering digital solutions, innovation and the use of new technologies.
MeerWissen encourages a Co-design approach and building "partnerships of equals". This is to ensure that project partners are jointly setting priorities and that outcomes meet local needs and can be used by all partners as well as decision-makers. To strengthen this approach a dedicated Co-design phase of up to 9 months will be funded followed by an implementation and dissemination phase of 2 years.
MeerWissen supports partnerships of at least one African and one German research or scientific organisation, based on a jointly submitted project proposal. The African partners must be based in one of the following partner countries of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development: Algeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Tunisia.
A joint project application consisting of a concept and rough budget outline for a joint two-year scientific cooperation project and a detailed proposal and budget for a 6-9 month Co-design phase is to be submitted by 31 December 2021 to meerwissen(at)giz.de.
Projects selected for funding will embark on a co-design process to build their partnerships, engage other stakeholders and to further develop their proposal for the two-year cooperation project. Funding for the co-design phase is expected to start in June 2022. Approval of funds for the implementation of the two-year partnership project will be pending based on the successful completion of the Co-design phase and the submitted full proposal.
