Horticulture: Improving fruit, vegetable and ornamental crop production Grant

About this grant

The ACIAR Horticulture Program funds research to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of fruit, vegetable, ornamental and beverage crops in developing countries, with the aim of improving livelihoods and delivering safe, nutritious food. The program focuses on raising yields and reducing pre-harvest and post-harvest losses, working along the whole supply chain and across commodities including banana, mango, pineapple, citrus, sweetpotato, coconut, cocoa, coffee and indigenous and traditional vegetables. Research supported by the program covers integrated crop management, disease and pest control, climate resilience and improved post-harvest storage and management. Beyond the farm, the program addresses biosecurity, export development and market development of new products, with the stated goal of delivering sustainable competitive advantages to smallholders. The page reports an FY 2025-26 program investment of AUD 4.6 million across 18 projects, operating in South Asia, the Pacific, East and Southeast Asia and Africa. Active projects include work on emerging pests and diseases in the Pacific, mango breeding and genomics, Fusarium wilt of banana, coffee berry borer, citrus greening, and gender-inclusive reduction of horticultural food loss.

Eligibility

The page describes a research program commissioned by ACIAR and lists commissioned organisations, including Australian universities and state departments of primary industries, as well as Pacific and Southeast Asian research bodies such as the Pacific Community, Gadjah Mada University, the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa and the World Vegetable Centre. It does not state an open application process, eligibility rules, or funding limits for new applicants.

Key requirements

• ✓Focus on improving fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crop production
• ✓Research-led or development-focused projects aligned with ACIAR's international agricultural development mandate
• ✓Likely requires partnership with developing-country institutions or organizations

Funder contact

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

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for Horticulture: Improving fruit, vegetable and ornamental crop production?

Eligibility covers organisations in GLOBAL, ASIA, OCEANIA, AFRICA; university, research-institution, 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.