Catalysing research, innovation and action for people and nature to thrive
A five-year programme to fund research-to-action initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia to restore ecosystems and reverse environmental degradation, will put out its first grant call in April 2023.
Woman collecting plant life from the water in Zhengzhou, China (Photo: Jean Beller via Unsplash)
Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) catalyses research, innovation and action to help people and nature thrive together. Through a series of grant calls it will work at local, national and regional levels in Africa and Asia to support knowledge generation and learning across sectors.
What is IIED doing?
The programme is funded by UK Aid from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and managed by IIED. IIED has conducted regional consultations and commissioned scoping studies to find out more where the gaps are in innovation and research.
The findings from these activities will inform REDAA’s grant calls and IIED will make sure that the funding opportunity is widely disseminated and grants awarded assist with the programme achieving its aims.
REDAA grants will fund work that is interdisciplinary, often locally led and focused on solutions for ecosystem restoration and wildlife protection, helping people and nature to thrive together in times of climate, resource and fiscal insecurity.
This is an opportunity for civil society organisations, business networks and research teams to improve how nature is managed and ensure local communities can access and make the most of critical ecosystem services.
What kind of initiatives will be funded?
Grants could be awarded to initiatives for improving evidence, creating new tools or for strengthening governance systems to support actions that are nature positive, strengthen local livelihoods and tackle the impacts of climate change.
Grantees will be offered a range of support. This might be, for example, around research methodologies, project monitoring and evaluation, reporting, doing strategic communications, and learning and networking with other grantees.
The REDAA programme runs until 2028. Through what it supports and the learning it shares and communicates, the programme will help policymakers, practitioners and people in business to have a better understanding of natural landscapes, prioritise more ambitious sustainable strategies and allocate the right financial and human resources to take action.
