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Introduction The Global Center for Food Systems Innovation (GCFSI) at Michigan State University (MSU) in collaboration with the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) is piloting an innovative experiential learning course that focuses on building skills in collaborative community engagement in the context of urban food exchange and provisioning in Lilongwe, Malawi. Students from MSU and LUANAR will work together to engage small- to medium-scaled food entrepreneurs to in action research. The practicum is comprised of a mix of online and on-the-ground classes. Students from LUANAR and MSU work together to identify and propose solutions to constraints in urban food exchange and provisioning, and would do so in collaboration with those who do this work in Lilongwe. MSU students would gain an appreciation of urban food environments in the global south, as well as the complexity of working in them, while students from LUANAR will enhance their skills in formulating local level solutions for improved urban food system and contribute to national development agenda. Together the LUANAR and MSU students would gain an understanding of collaborative, inclusive, and integrated approaches to development. Rationale A primary objective of GCFSI is to develop ‘multigenerational food systems problem solvers’ and to foster innovative approaches to food systems problems through creative and interdisciplinary approaches. A primary objective of LUANAR is to enhance the education of its students and capacity of its staff through experiential and field-based learning opportunities. Both institutions have an emerging interest in the development of models and tools that will foster and strengthen the partnership with stakeholders involved in urban food systems especially the resource poor. This practicum enacts the goals of GCFSI and LUANAR by providing students with a hands-on experience that teaches them the value of (1) problem-based, rather than discipline-based, approaches in which students are encouraged to co-create solutions based on lived realities (2) seeing and solving problems from multiple perspectives and (3) inclusive approaches to innovation that recognize and elicit meaningful input from people who are often marginalized. In using this approach to food systems development, there is a dual focus on the creation of solutions and empowerment among people who do not often have a voice in how development happens. In addition, urban food systems and urban food security are emerging areas of concern due to urbanization trends in developing countries. Urban food environments, and the ways in which people experience them, are very different from the rural food environments where, to date, most agri-food research has been conducted. Such a practicum can provide an unparalleled opportunity for both students and faculty to learn what issues are most relevant to urban populations’ efforts to access safe and healthy food. The practicum has the following objectives: 1. To familiarize students with innovation systems theory and practice, with a particular emphasis on inclusive, or frugal, innovation. 2. To develop understanding of the dynamics and challenges of urban food provisioning and exchange and food system arrangements, specifically ‘wet-markets.’ 3. To build civic engagement skills 4. To provide a practical forum for applying disciplinary perspectives to interdisciplinary problem solving. 5. To provide a practical forum for co-creating and presenting appropriate innovations to decision-makers The practicum, in addition to a mix of online and on-the-ground classes, will involve action research involving two selected markets: one in Lilongwe urban (Area 36) and one in Lilongwe rural (Mitundu). Eligibility for Application 1. Any 3rd year undergraduate or Year 1 post graduate student at LUANAR. 2. Students must be in good academic standing with no fail grade in any subject with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.6 as the minimum. 3. The students should be able to work independently and in teams Application Requirements • Students must be available on Bunda campus for the whole period of the practicum-two weeks from 7th to 18th August 2017 • Students must agree to complete online and face to face course requirements. • Students should demonstrate willingness to contribute to generating knowledge through submission of a one page research concept note in any of the areas of focus of the program and clearly explain their role in implementing the idea. The areas of focus are:  Knowledge development in urban food systems  Action research in urban food systems  Resilience of traders in urban food systems  Adaptation of urban food system traders to different environments and shocks  Power networks in urban food systems  Trader networks or connections in urban food systems  System linkages in urban food systems  Policy influence (both urban and district policies) in urban food systems Expected Outcomes The practicum offers an unparalleled opportunity for students to engage in a hands-on experience to engage with real-world development issues, and to collaborate with and learn from people in the communities most affected by economic marginalization. Such a practicum offers the opportunity to develop a number of ‘core competencies’ identified by GCFSI which have been adopted by MSU/LUANAR for evaluation and monitoring purposes. These are: Knowledge and Intercultural Understanding: Students will develop appreciation for different ways of seeing and doing, and learn that definitions and enactments of well-being are cultural products, not universal ones. The mix of in-class theory and field practice helps students to reinforce knowledge gained in a classroom setting, as well as enhances their ability to critically assess it. In addition, students will gain experience in techniques to engage communities in processes designed to promote inclusive development. Communication: Students will learn how to communicate with different audiences by tailoring messages accordingly, listening, and speaking and writing clearly. In addition, the final project requires students to translate their experiences into products that convey the lessons learned to a wider audience. Entrepreneurial Skills: Because students are working in a market environment, they will develop a sense of how traders and retailers make decisions, what constraints and opportunities they face, their ability to take risk, and how business transactions take place. Communication and Relationship Management: Students will learn how to collaborate with people from different backgrounds to reach common goals. They will learn how to solicit input from people from a wide range of backgrounds, and demonstrate a willingness to consider and value alternative viewpoints. Leadership; Planning and Organizing: Given the short timeline, students must develop efficient plans for designing innovations. Inherent to the process is the need to determine where and how to gather information, developing and adhering to timelines, organizing tasks, and planning and organizing final presentations. They will learn how to encourage and elicit input from all those involved. Creativity: Students will practice developing creative solutions to common problems, as well as learn to identify and highlight creative solutions that they see others doing. Design thinking: The capacity of faculty to better understand and implement a Frugal Innovation Practicum through design thinking would be enhanced. MSU/LUANAR faculty will tap into each other’s expertise in order to deliver a practicum that is up to date in terms of methodology, stakeholder engagement and design thinking. Implementing and Documenting Experiential learning outputs: Both Student and faculty will be able to produce deliverables in documented form. For Students, policy briefs that aim at communicating the FIP finding to key stakeholders such as policy makers on urban food systems will be produced. Similarly, faculty involved in delivering this FIP will be expected to come up with a joint publication/ FIP Guide handbook that would document some of the key findings/ lessons learnt through the practicum. Overall, the main beneficiaries of this activity are students, but important outcomes to enhance the capacity of faculty in food systems and frugal innovations for both institutions are also expected. Course Organization The course will be comprised of a complementary and mutually-reinforcing mix of online reading and exercises; group exercises in a workshop setting; and, community-based fieldwork that include data gathering and design sessions with people working in urban food systems. Application Process Students should submit an application letter along with a copy of their most recent academic record, curriculum vitae, a reference letter from their project supervisor and a one page research concept note highlighting their research idea and their role in implementation of the research if successful. Further the concept should have a paragraph that shows the applicant’s understanding of urban food systems, how their area of specialization relates to urban food systems and what contribution and benefit they expect from their participation in the program. The concept should have no more than 1 page, in Arial Font, Font Size 12 and line spacing of 1.5. Hard copies of the application should be submitted to the RPOGRAMMES COORDINATOR, Programs Coordinating Office with soft copies sent by email to: pco@bunda.luanar.mw and ihc@bundaluanar.mw no later than 1600 hrs on 19th June 2017 with a heading: FIP III 2017 APPLICATION.