Call for submission of overview papers
Reference No. : Call for Papers – Set 2
_____
Theme: Rejuvenation of smallholder agriculture in Africa, the
Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) by the adoption of Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs)
1. Background information
CTA is a joint international institution of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group
of States and the European Union (EU). Its mission is to advance food and nutritional
security, increase prosperity and encourage sound natural resource management in
ACP countries. It facilitates access to information and knowledge; supports evidencebased, multi-stakeholder development of agricultural policies and strategies; promotes
inclusive value chain development and use of ICTs; and strengthens the capacities of
agricultural and rural development institutions and communities.
In particular, CTA supports the rejuvenation of smallholder agriculture in ACP countries.
Rejuvenation in terms of encouraging young people to take up agriculture as a business,
and in terms of helping transform smallholder agriculture by the adoption of Information
and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
2. Purpose
The purpose of this Call is to publish and disseminate experiences and success stories
in ACP countries or relevant to them that can inspire the rejuvenation of smallholder
agriculture in ACP countries, including small island economies.
3. Description
Overview papers are being solicited in either English or French, on any of the following
issues:
 Series 1: Agricultural production and productivity
CTA wishes to build a comprehensive overview of ICT tools for improving agricultural
production and productivity. For this purpose, it invites proposals in the following areas:
 ICTs for pest control
 ICTs for improved farmer decision-making
 ICTs for irrigation
 ICTs for verifying input quality
 ICTs for post-harvest management
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Call for Papers – Set 2


ICTs for food security and policy decision-making
Other proposals related to innovative use of ICTs for improving agricultural
production and productivity.
In each of these cases, the paper should:
o Provide a comprehensive overview of the existing softwares/mobile applications:
what are they used for and in which context(s)? who are the users? what are their
outreach and impact (through examples based on real cases)? what are their
availability and costs for users? what are the lessons learnt from experiences
(success factors and constraints to dissemination and adoption by users)?…
o With particular reference to the specific area, explain how these
softwares/mobiles applications are contributing to improving agricultural
production and productivity and what they bring which is new in terms of
approaches to agriculture development and services to agriculture.
o Draw a conclusion that discusses a) what are the likely developments in this area
in the next 2-3 years; and b) what can governments and/or the international
community, on one hand, and the private sector, on the other, do to ensure that
available ICTs are used to maximum effect.
 Series 2: Agricultural marketing and finance
CTA wishes to build a comprehensive overview of ICT tools for agricultural marketing
and finance. For this purpose, it invites proposals in the following areas:
 ICTs for contract farming
 ICTs for linking farmers to markets
 ICTs to support agricultural warehousing and warehouse receipts
 ICTs for commodity exchanges: the current state of play
 ICTs in support of agricultural credit
 Other proposals related to innovative use of ICTs in agricultural marketing and
finance.
In each of these cases, the paper should:
o Provide a comprehensive overview of the existing softwares/mobile applications:
what are they used for and in which context(s)? who are the users? what are their
outreach and impact (through examples based on real cases)? what are their
availability and costs for users? what are the lessons learnt from experiences
(success factors and constraints to dissemination and adoption by users)?
o With particular reference to the specific area, explain how these
softwares/mobiles applications are changing the approach towards agricultural
marketing and finance and what they bring which is new.
o Draw a conclusion that discusses a) what are the likely developments in this area
in the next 2-3 years; and b) what can governments and/or the international
community, on one hand, and the private sector, on the other, do to ensure that
available ICTs are used to maximum effect.
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Call for Papers – Set 2
 Series 3: Sector-specific ICT supports
CTA wishes to build a comprehensive overview of ICT tools for specific agricultural value
chains, from production to marketing. For this purpose, it invites proposals in the
following areas:
 ICTs for the fisheries sector
 ICTs for the livestock sector
 ICTs for the cereals sector
 ICTs for roots and tubers
 ICTs for vegetable and horticultural crops
 Other proposals related to innovative use of ICTs for specific agricultural value
chains.
In each of these cases, the paper should:
o Provide a comprehensive overview of the existing softwares/mobile applications:
what are they used for and in which context(s)? which component(s) of the value
are they supporting and who are the users? what are their outreach and impact
(through examples based on real cases)? what are their availability and costs for
users? what are the lessons learnt from experiences (success factors and
constraints to dissemination and adoption by users)?
o With particular reference to the specific value chain, explain how these
softwares/mobiles applications are changing the way the value chain is managed
and what they bring which is new.
o Draw a conclusion that discusses a) what are the likely developments in this area
in the next 2-3 years; and b) what can governments and/or the international
community, on one hand, and the private sector, on the other, do to ensure that
available ICTs are used to maximum effect.
4. Rules for the Call
4.1.
Eligibility
Participation in this call is open equally to natural and legal persons of the ACP States
and EU Member States, and to international organisations.
4.2.
Procedure
 Step 1
Interested persons should submit up to two (2) proposal(s) of maximum three pages
long. The proposal should include:
1. Reference of the call
2. Proposed title and name of author(s) (and organisations, as needed)
3. Full contact details
4. A brief biography and a paragraph explaining why the author, or group of
authors, is/are the right person(s) to write about the paper.
5. An outline of the overview paper, including for each section a brief narrative
summary of the content that will be developed.
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Call for Papers – Set 2
Proposals have to be sent by email at the following address: ctapapers@cta.int. They
have to reach CTA no later than Sunday 13 October 2013, 20:00 GMT.
 Step 2
Proposals will be reviewed and selected by an evaluation committee. Author(s) whose
proposals are accepted will be notified no later than Friday 18 October 2013. They will
be invited to submit a full ORIGINAL paper, i.e. unpublished material in any language,
any form, and by any means.
 Step 3
Full papers will have to be sent by email and reach CTA no later than Sunday, 24
November 2013, 20:00 GMT.
Overview papers (minimum 9,000 to maximum 10,000 words) shall include the following
structural elements:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Proposed title
Name of author(s) (and organisations, as needed)
Executive summary
Introduction
Text of the sections (including for each section proposed: title, short
headlines highlighting key points, pull-out quotes, charts, tables, illustrations
and their captions, and 2 to 3 short boxes as needed)
References (sources consulted or recommended)
Full papers will be reviewed by an evaluation committee on the basis of the following
criteria:
Does the paper meet expectations?
Criteria
Quality of writing and readiness for publication
(2 points: only requires minor editing)
Completeness of paper: does it fully cover the
subject matter?
Sufficient level of detail and hard information
(e.g., are references to websites, if applicable,
given?)
Fully
Partly
Insufficiently
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
The panel may decide that the paper:
o
o
does not meet the required minimum quality expected (less than 4 points),
and reject the paper
can be accepted subject to either minor revisions or major revisions.
In the latter case, the paper will be returned to its author(s) – no later than Friday 6
December. The revised paper will have to be sent back to CTA no later than
15 December 2013, 20:00 GMT.
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Call for Papers – Set 2
Author(s) will be informed in writing of evaluation committee’s decision concerning their
paper. No recourse will be possible against an evaluation committee’s decision.
4.3.
Control of manner of publication
CTA will have the right to publish, market and distribute for free the papers in any form,
manner and style which it considers best suited to the exploitation of the paper (e.g.
ICTupdate magazine print and online, CTA’s Policy Briefs series). CTA will have the
entire control of the production, publication and reprinting, including without limitation,
the design, format, paper, print run, binding, cover, jacket (if any), advertising and
distribution.
4.4.
Copy-editing and proofs
CTA will have the right to edit the papers at its expense for the purpose of improving its
consistency, clarity or suitability for its intended readership. The author(s) will have the
right to approve significant changes and deal with queries before the typescript of the
Work is set in proof. The author(s) undertake(s) to deal with any queries, review
significant changes and return the results of this work to CTA within 7 days after receipt.
4.5.
Permissions
Author(s) will be solely responsible for obtaining, at his or her(their) own expense, all
materials necessary for the preparation of their paper(s) and all necessary permissions
in writing to use in their paper(s) any third party material (including, without limitation, all
data and quotations of whatever nature, and all text, tables and illustrations) for all
editions and all forms of exploitation of the Work.
4.6.
Copyright and other intellectual property rights
Author(s) irrevocably and unconditionally assign(s) to CTA all copyright, rights in the
nature of copyright and all other intellectual property rights throughout the world (present
and future, and including without limitation all renewals, extensions, revivals and
restorations thereof and accrued rights of action in respect thereof) in the paper(s). In
consequence of this assignment, author(s) agree(s) that CTA will (without limitation) be
entitled to produce, publish, adapt, promote the paper(s) or any translation, adaptation or
abridgement of the paper(s) in any form and in any language.
CTA will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that the author(s) is(are) identified as the
author of the paper(s) whenever the paper(s) is(are) published in its(their) entirety by
CTA. Subject to this, the author(s) irrevocably and unconditionally waive(s) his or
her(their) moral rights he or she(they) may have in any territory of the world.
4.7.
Warranties
Author(s) warrant(s) to CTA and its assigns and licensees that he/she is or they are the
sole author(s) of the paper(s) and sole owner(s) of all of the rights assigned to CTA; that
the paper(s) is or are (an) original work(s) and has or have not previously been
published in any form and any language anywhere in the world; that the paper(s) is or
are in no way whatsoever a violation or infringement of any existing copyright, moral
right, database right, or of any right of privacy, or other intellectual property, personal,
proprietary or statutory right; that the paper(s) contain(s) nothing which would be harmful
to any person acting in accordance with information or advice contained in it, or to the
economic or other interests of such person; that paper(s) contain(s) nothing misleading,
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Call for Papers – Set 2
obscene, improper, blasphemous, libellous or defamatory or otherwise unlawful; that all
statements contained in paper(s) purporting to be fact are to the best of the
author’s(authors’) knowledge and belief true.
4.8.
Fees
CTA agrees to pay to the author(s) upon submission of their accepted revised paper(s)
the following fees: 4,500 Euros per paper (minimum 9,000 to maximum 10,000 words).
Author(s) accept(s) he or she(they) will not under any circumstances be entitled to any
other payment or royalty for their paper(s).
No payment will be made for proposals that have been rejected.
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