iBoP Asia update - 2008 iBoP grantees

[Grace Santos]

The iBoP Small Grants Program was launched last July 2008 to provide the necessary funds for researchers in Southeast Asia to bring forth their innovative research ideas and help create S&T-based solutions to the development needs/problems of the BoP. The Program is extending small grants of up to 25,000 CAD (Canadian Dollars) to turn these ideas into action.

We are happy to announce this year's grantees under the Program:

Isda.mobi: a mobile phone interface for small-scale fishers to access fisheries-related information
Project proponent: World Fish Center (Philippines)

Basic SnT in a Box
Project proponent: Computer Professionals’ Union (Philippines)

The Farmer and Rice Quality
Project proponent: Sub-Plant Protection Department, Angiang Province (Vietnam)

Waste Cooking Oil Jeepney Fuel Evaluation, Promotion and Business Development
Project proponent: Don Bosco Technical College (Philippines)

Clean Fuels for the Poor
Project proponent: Action for Economic Reform (Philippines)

Developing Mutual Value Creation through Research on Value Chain (Biofuel production)
Project proponent: Setara Foundation (Indonesia)

Turning Natural Waste into Organic Fertilizer and Affordable Fuel
Project proponent: Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation, Inc. (Philippines)

Business Development Services for the Enterprising BoP
Project proponent: Philippine Business for Social Progress (Philippines)

Payment strategies for those with irregular income at the BoP
Project proponent: Emerging Futures Lab (Singapore)

Bridging the Base of the Pyramid to Mainstream Commerce: An action research among SEA countries on policies and enabling factors for effective BoP participation in R&D and trade of agricultural commodities
Project proponent: Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philippines)

Engaging Farmer-Researchers in a Study of Rainwater Catchment Systems
Project proponent: Kahublagan Sang Panimalay Foundation, Inc. (Philippines)


These projects were chosen out of the 51 applications that were received by the iBoP Asia Secretariat from all over the region. We would like to express our gratitude to all the individuals and organizations that responded to this year’s call for proposals.

We will be putting up a page for each of the grantees in our project website, www.ibop-asia.net, where the researchers will be posting updates, blogs, and other materials and resources related to their respective projects.

[Jenara Nerenberg]

Grace, this is very exciting. Thank you so much for sharing the news. I'd love to hear more about the selection process and what each grantee will be doing!