Borlaug Fellowship Program for Developing Countries

Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program

Course(s) Offered: Agriculture-related, Technology
Course Level: Postgraduate (fellowships, trainings, research)
Provider: BY Borlaug via USDA
Country to Study in: USA, any country

Scholarship Description
The Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program (Borlaug Fellowship Program) helps developing countries strengthen sustainable agricultural practices by providing scientific training and collaborative research opportunities to visiting researchers, policymakers, and university faculty.

The Program promotes food security and economic growth by providing research and training opportunities for scientists and policymakers from developing and middle-income countries. USDA partners with U.S. land grant universities, international research centers, and other institutions to provide up to 12 weeks of U.S.-based training for Borlaug Fellows each year. Fellows may also attend the annual World Food Prize Symposium, held in October in Des Moines, Iowa.

Eligibility
Candidates must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Borlaug Fellowship Program:

• Citizens of country in which the Borlaug Fellowship Program is offered
• Early to middle stage of their professional career
• Good working knowledge of the English language
• Minimum of a Master’s degree
• Two or more years of practical work experience and currently employed in an university, government, non-profit, or private agricultural research entity in the recipient country.
• Demonstrate intention to continue working in the home country after completing their Borlaug fellowship in the U.S.

Eligible groups
Must be a scholar from a developing or middle-income country

Participating Institutions
Training venues include U.S. universities, USDA or other U.S. government agency research facilities, and not-for-profit institutions.

Fields of study
Priority Research Areas: research and training focused on a wide array of agriculture-related topics, including agronomy, veterinary science, nutrition, food safety, sanitary and phytosanitary issues, natural resource management, agricultural biotechnology, global climate change, agricultural economics and agricultural policy.

NOTE: Allowable training topics vary by country and year and can be found in the country-specific application announcements posted on the official website (see link to it below).

Number of awards
Since inception in 2004, approximately 700 fellowships for agricultural professionals from 64 developing countries worldwide

Sponsorship duration
For the whole duration of the programme - six to twelve weeks depending on research topic and funding availability

Scholarship benefits
The Program promote food security and economic growth by increasing scientific knowledge and collaborative research to improve agricultural productivity. It accomplishes this by:

• Providing training opportunities for early and mid-career researchers and policymakers from developing and middle-income countries;
• Fostering collaborative research to improve agricultural productivity;
• Facilitating the transfer of new science and agricultural technologies to strengthen agricultural practices
• Addressing obstacles to the adoption of technology, such as ineffectual policies and regulations.

The program is administered by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.

NOTE: Each Fellow’s primary responsibility is to successfully complete the project plan created by the Fellow and his/her mentor. In addition, USDA requires the Fellow to complete the following activities:

• Midterm and Final Reporting
• Final Presentation
• Program Evaluation Forms

Method of Application
Applicants will need to fill out the "Borlaug Fellowship Program application form" found on the official website (link to it is below). In addition, the following documents must be included with your application:

• One official copy of transcript of college degrees
• Two letters of recommendation. The letters should specifically address:
• your aptitude for scientific research
• your leadership skills and the likelihood that you will bring back new ideas and implement change at your institution
• your proficiency in the English language
• One passport-size photograph
• A photocopy of the front page of your passport (contains name, picture, etc.)
• Signed approval form from your home institution
• Signed conditions of training form

DEADLINES:
The application deadline January 15, 2013

Contact
Karina Ramos-Hides
Deputy Director/Acting Program Leader
Borlaug Fellowship Program
karina.ramos@fas.usda.gov
(202) 720-3736

Room 3242 South Building
1400 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, DC 20250

For international points of contact, please see the USDA FAS international directory

Application Deadline: 15 January, 2013
Open to International students: Yes

Resource: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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