AGRInnova – Tech Piloting in Latin America and the Caribbean

Program Description

Through the AGRInnova call for proposals, selected Israeli climate smart agriculture companies will receive financial support to pilot their technology with LAC agribusinesses.

AGRInnova seeks to enable Israeli climate smart agriculture companies to:

• Prove commercial viability of their solution.
• Gain exposure to new clients and markets.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has selected ten (10) agribusinesses, in a competitive process, interested in piloting with Israeli companies. Detailed overview of the challenges and partners can be found here. The pilots include the following partners:

1. Adecoagro,  from Argentina – their challenge includes crop residues recycle – transforming rice straw waste into raw material.
2. Huentala Wines K-Bin S.A, from Argentina – their challenge includes crop protection application plannng – the optimization of crop spraying for protection as it is applied in viticulture.
3.  Quequen S.A., from Argentina – their challenge includes seed treatment for saline soil – specifically, how to boost alfalfa production in saline soil conditions.
4. Mondelez Global LLC, from Brazil – their challenge includes irrigation optimization – how to optimize irrigation management for cocoa.
5. Pedra Agroindustrial S/A, from Brazil – their challenge includes early detection – specifically, high resolution weed monitoring for sugarcanes.
6. Viterra Bioenergy SA, from Brazil – their challenge includes early detection – specifically, the mapping of weeds, diseases and nutritional deficiencies in sugarcanes.
7. Prize Superfruit from Chile – their challenge includes the monitoring of spray applications – controll of foliar applications and agricultural mechinery.
8. Grupo Cassa, from El Salvador – their challence includes in-field non-destructive NIR based crop analysis – for enhanced quality, efficiencey and productivity of sugarcane.
9. Ingenio La Cabana, from El Salvador – their challenge includes irrigation optimization – how to decrease water usage and fossil fuel dependency in sugarcane production.
10. Agricola Cerro Prieto, from Peru – their challenge includes yield optimization – predictive yield optimization for avocado and blueberry.

Funding Scheme:

• The selected proposals will be matched with the relevant LAC agribusiness for developing a pilot project, that will be agreed by both sides and approved by IDB Lab.
• Approved pilot project will receive a financial grant of up to 80% of the pilot cost for the solution provider. This grant will be covered by IDB Lab, As part of the collaboration between the IDB, the Israeli Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development.
• The remaining cost of the pilot will be covered by the LAC agribusiness.

Selected applicants can receive:

• Up to a maximum of USD 150,000 to support the cost of each pilot project.
• The final amount will be dependent on the suggested solution, required pilot scope for proving the solution, and number of approved projects.

Criteria

Israeli companies are asked to submit project proposals for the piloting of products, processes, services, and/or technologies, according to the following criteria:

1. Technological and commercial alignment of the proposed solution to the corporate challenge / requirement
2. Applicability and technological feasibility of the proposed solution
3. Quality and price of offered solution in relation to competitors in the market.
4. The company’s proven management, financial and technological capabilities to execute the project.
5. Product maturity
6. Company’s ability to realize the project.
7. Previous experience in Latin America and the Caribbean.
8. Previous experience of similar collaborations such as projects in emerging markets – an advantage.
9. Post pilot commercial potential and ability to pursue larger projects.

Application Process

Application Submission is due by the deadline of  September 15^th, 2024 14:00 IST.

The Israeli companies are requested to submit an online application in Hebrew to the Israel Innovation Authority under IDB program (Bilateral Programs for Parallel Support)

1. Please attach:
   1. EOI (expression of interest) form
   2. Budget Excel in USD
   3. Tofes Hitagdut (Certificate of Incorporation as a registered Israeli company)
2. For online submission in Hebrew, please click here
3. For questions and assistance regarding the application submission, please contact Ms. Odelia Toledano Odelia.toledano@innovationisrael.org.il

Selection Process for Israeli companies:

1. Submission of EOI and supporting documents to Israel Innovation Authority by 15^th   September 2024.
2. Decision on the Israeli companies executing the pilots on by LATAM corporations and the IDB: around November 2024.