Call for candidates: open competition for degree training in applied agricultural research
ICARDA - the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, with support from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), offers opportunities to Arab students enrolled in Masters or PhD degrees to strengthen their research skills. The successful candidates will do all or part of their thesis or dissertation research at ICARDA under the joint supervision of one of the centers scientists.
Call for candidates: open competition for degree training in applied agricultural research
ICARDA - the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, with support from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), offers opportunities to Arab students enrolled in Masters or PhD degrees to strengthen their research skills. The successful candidates will do all or part of their thesis or dissertation research at ICARDA under the joint supervision of one of the centers scientists.
To be eligible, applicants must be employed at an organization in their countrys National Agricultural Research System (NARS) and registered for an MSc or PhD degree program in a recognized university in the region.
ICARDA and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) are pleased to announce the 2014 research grant program for young Arab scientists. Through the program young scientists can link their MSc or PhD studies in agricultural research, in progress with their university, with the expertise of experienced ICARDA scientists.
The program builds skills for the selected researchers and their institutions by:
Giving Arab scientists new experience in basic and applied research and knowledge and by filling critical capacity gaps in their National Agricultural Research Systems.
Creating new opportunities for knowledge exchange as the selected candidates will be linked to a network of counterparts from different parts of the Arab world and to the experienced international scientists of ICARDA.
Supporting Arab countries in their effort to improve food security, alleviate poverty, optimize the use of scarce natural resources - particularly water and by increasing general agricultural production and productivity in the region.
Enhancing the capacity of young scientists in specialized agricultural research areas needed to contribute to strengthen sustainable agricultural development and food security.
Transfering new knowledge and skills and introduce novel research methodologies to their institute and the national system.
Communicating the newly-acquired knowledge to farmers and farmers organizations to support them in building the quality and productivity of their agricultural production.
Provides the opportunity to train their colleagues in the latest approaches and technologies to enhance agricultural productivity, food security and poverty alleviation gained from their work with ICARDA.
Helps the publishing of their research results in peer-reviewed journals.
Facilitates the transfer of new knowledge to Arab countries.
Who should apply?
Applicants should be nationals of an Arab country and be registered in a recognized university in the region, in a field of agricultural studies relevant to ICARDAs mandate and with direct relevance to the students work in the national agricultural research system.
For the 2014 program, theses or dissertations should be on one of the following topics:
1. Plant breeding/biotechnology.
2. Water management (grey water, groundwater, irrigation-supplemental and deficit, water harvesting, soil-water-plant relations).
3. Land management (fertility management, soil conservation, watershed management, salinity).
4. Rangeland, forage and small ruminants.
5. Agricultural economics & rural sociology/gender and social analysis/rural innovations & pathways.
6. Agronomy & Conservation Agriculture.
7. Seed health and quality seed technologies.
8. Integrated pest management.
9. Variety identification, maintenance and quality seed production.
10. Pre-breeding & improvement of collection, conservation & utilization of genetic resources.
11. Conservation of agro-biodiversity.
12. Improvement of production systems and resilience technologies.
13. Geoinformatics Applications in Agriculture and Natural Resources/Droughts, Dust Storms and Extreme Events.
14. Statistical analysis of score data from entomological experiments.
15. Rationalization of test environments for crop variety evaluation with climate change.
Applicants should be nationals of an Arab country and be registered in a recognized university in the region, in a field of agricultural studies relevant to ICARDAs mandate and with direct relevance to the students work in the national agricultural research system.
For the 2014 program, theses or dissertations should be on one of the following topics
Terms and conditions
Selection is on a competitive basis following criteria for candidate review. Each selected candidate will be assigned an ICARDA scientist as co-supervisor, in addition to their supervisor at the university. The ICARDA co-supervisor is part of the awardees thesis advisory committee.
Proposals will be finalized in coordination with the university supervisor and the ICARDA co-supervisor. Final proposals and work plans must be submitted to ICARDAs Capacity Development Unit within one month of the awardees acceptance of the award.
Awardees can be located at ICARDA Headquarters, its outreach offices, or in a country where ICARDA has relevant research projects. For every scheduled visit, awardees will be provided with a round-trip air ticket and lodging (including per diem and insurance according to ICARDA policy). Awardees will have access to research facilities. On satisfactory completion of their term at ICARDA, awardees will receive a certificate. Students must also submit three copies of their thesis or dissertation to ICARDA.
How to apply
Complete the attached application and proposal form accompanied by a recent curriculum vitae and mail or email to the address below. Approval of your supervisor from the national system and your university supervisor must be noted on the form.
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee. The criteria include: quality of the proposal, its relevance to the training needs identified by national institutes in your country, your academic and research qualifications, and the possession of the required practical skills, such as good, working knowledge of English and computer skills.
Closing date August 7, 2014
Selected candidates will be notified by email. Once notified, applicants must confirm acceptance and participation within one week. Once accepted, the successful candidates will receive all program and practical details.
Please send your application to:
ICARDA
Capacity Development Unit
P.O. Box 950764 Amman 11195 Jordan
Fax: +962-6-552930
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.