Deadline January 20, 2014
USDA, in collaboration with the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), is now accepting applications from West Africa – Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria – for the 2014 Cocoa Borlaug Fellowships. The fellowships are part of a joint USDA-WCF initiative to improve cocoa production in developing countries worldwide. Fellows will work one-on-one with a mentor at a U.S. university, research center or government agency, usually for 6-12 weeks. The U.S. mentor will later visit the fellow’s home institution to continue collaboration.
Eligible Countries
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Nigeria
Targeted Research Areas
- Genomics, genetics and breeding
- Plant propagation methods
- Pests/diseases – entomology, plant pathology, and control methods – particularly for cocoa mirids, swollen shoot virus and black pod rot
- Soil fertility and plant nutrition
- Agroforestry
Eligibility
To be considered for the Borlaug Fellowship Program, candidates must:
- Be citizens of an eligible country
- Be fluent in English
- Have completed a Master’s or higher degree
- Be in the early or middle stage of their career, with at least two years of practical experience
- Be employed by a university, government agency or research entity in their home country
- Demonstrate their intention to continue working in their home country after completing the fellowship
Criteria
- Applicants are selected based on their academic and professional research interests and achievements, level of scientific competence, aptitude for scientific research, leadership potential, likelihood of bringing back new ideas to their home institution, and flexibility and aptitude for success in a cross-cultural environment.
- Consideration is also given to the relevance of the applicant’s research area to the research topics highlighted in the application announcement and to global food security and trade.
For more information, click here.
