• 2009 Small Grants Competition

    to adopt a cross-learning and iterative approach that will enable all researchers to learn from each other across different types of bio-innovation throughout the region.

  • Overview of the Project

    to enhance biological innovative capabilities, policies & institutions to support just, equitable & sustainable social & economic development in developing countries.

  • Bio-innovations in the NEWS

    Policy briefs and articles on relevant dimensions of bio-innovation.

Enabling bioinnovation for poverty allevation in Asia.

2009 Small Grants Competition

The Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, with support from Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has launched in February 2009 a small grants competition program to tackle bio-innovation and its social and policy implications for poverty alleviation in the Asian Region.

Selected research projects will last for 12 months and will focus mainly on bio-innovations demonstrated to be directly relevant to the social phenomenon of poverty – whether alleviating, worsening or creating new forms of poverty. We also further narrow the scope of poverty to two important areas: – on poor people’s livelihoods and basic health.
 
Research projects are expected to:
  •  Re-define existing policies on bio-innovations to move towards social inclusion, equity and poverty alleviation
  •  Unpack bio-innovations that worsen social inclusion, inequity and polarize wealth
  •  Highlight new and urgent issues on bio-innovation for policy advocacy
  • Identify and elaborate new paths of research that will improve understanding of socially-sensitive, inclusive and pro-poor bio-innovations and policy processes in Asia
Research results will lead to:
  •  Bio-innovation that is better placed at the service of sustainable development, social and gender equity and poverty alleviation
  •  Enhanced knowledge on the potentials for bio-innovation projects for human welfare and empowerment
  •  Sensitization of policy-makers and other actors involved in bio-innovation about its potentials and shortcomings
  • Improved policies for bio-innovations in the region
Incentives for researchers:
  •  Opportunities for interactive learning through the networking of researchers in policy-responsive bio-innovation research
  • Sharing of knowledge gleaned through workshops, publications of research papers in peer reviewed journals, book project and via the internet.