Agribusiness: Improving outcomes for smallholders and their partners from participating in agrifood chains Grant

About this grant

The ACIAR Agribusiness Program funds research and adoption of innovations that improve business outcomes for smallholder farmers, their communities and their industries across the agricultural, forestry and fisheries value chain. Supported activity spans input supply, production and harvest at farm level, and post-harvest steps such as shipping, processing, packaging and marketing. The program aims to help smallholders, communities and industries manage the complex, interrelated factors in production chains, link to markets, and adopt new enabling technologies. Research topics include access to finance for smallholders participating in value chains, biosecurity, quality control and management of farm production, and compliance with market and government regulations. The program also works with and co-invests with private firms to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of commercial agrifood chains linking smallholders to their private sector partners and to markets. Successful projects are expected to catalyse innovation along the chain, drive adoption among smallholder households, build participants' capacity to keep learning, leverage further funds, and leave 'how to' guides and recommendations for wider uptake. The page reports FY 2025-26 investment of AUD 6.1 million across 14 projects, mainly in East and Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Pacific and Africa.

Eligibility

The page describes commissioned research organisations rather than an open application process, including Australian universities, CSIRO, Applied Horticultural Research, Beanstalk AgTech, Southern Cross University, World Vision Australia, the International Water Management Institute, the World Agroforestry Centre, Quaid-i-Azam University and the Health and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. Eligibility rules, application routes and geographic restrictions for new calls are not stated on this page.

Key requirements

• ✓Focus on smallholder farmer participation and outcomes in agrifood value chains
• ✓Partnership with commercial agribusiness entities or value-chain actors
• ✓Research and development addressing productivity, sustainability, or market access
• ✓Likely geographic focus on Indo-Pacific region (ACIAR's mandate)

Recent past awardees

Knowing who's won the last rounds tells you whether you're in the strike zone.

• Applied Horticultural Research, Australia
• Beanstalk AgTech Pty Ltd
• Central Queensland University
• CSIRO
• Health and Agricultural Policy Research Institute
• International Water Management Institute
• Quaid-i-Azam University
• Southern Cross University

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for Agribusiness: Improving outcomes for smallholders and their partners from participating in agrifood chains?

Eligibility covers organisations in ASIA, SE-ASIA, SOUTH-ASIA, OCEANIA; research-institution, university, nonprofit, consortium. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Food systems funding covers sustainable production, supply-chain resilience, food loss, nutrition and smallholder livelihoods. It is offered by agriculture and development agencies, multilateral programmes and foundations, often with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. Applicants are generally asked to show local partnerships and how benefits reach farmers or consumers.