DEADLINE: 15th March, 2019.
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) received a three-year research grant for “Enhancing Capacity to Apply Research Evidence (CARE) in policy for youth engagement in agribusiness and rural economic activities in Africa” funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
IITA is pleased to announce 30 research fellowships for 2019 under the framework of the CARE project. The fellowships are action-oriented and target young academics and professionals, and graduate students at the post-coursework/research stage of their programs. The fellowship program seeks to contribute to policy development on youth engagement in agribusiness and rural economic activities in Africa.
IITA Fellowship Eligibility.
- Applicants must be young Africans;
- The research will be carried out in the following countries: Benin, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Senegal, and Zambia;
- Applicants must not be more than 40 years old at the time of application;
- Applicants must be young scholars at a research institute or university in Africa or a student registered in a Ph.D. or Master’s program in recognized universities in Africa, majoring in agricultural economics, agribusiness, or economics or a related social science field, and must have finished their university course work;
- The duration of the research should not exceed 6 months.
IITA Fellowship Awards.
- Awards for Research Grants are up to $10,000 (Proposals with a reasonable higher budget can also be selected depending on the quality of the research proposal);
- Grantees will be supervised by IITA’s socio-economics scientists in close collaboration with their national/university supervisors;
- Grantees will be offered training on research methodology, data management, and scientific writing;
- Grantees will be offered training on production of research evidence for policy-making
IITA Fellowship Selection Criteria.
Evaluation criteria will include the importance of the proposed policy issue, the strength of the methodological
model, and the proposed analysis of the study. Additionally, the review criteria will include:
- Is the policy issue clearly defined?
- What is already known on the issue?
- How does the methodology relate specifically to the policy question?
- Does the analytical plan fit the question and the data?
- Is the applicant qualified to carry out the proposed study?
How to Apply for IITA Fellowship.
To apply for the Research Fellowship, applicants must submit the following:
- Completed application form
- Copy of the passport or other statements of citizenship
- Curriculum Vitae (CV), which includes work history and education. CVs should be no longer than two pages
- Proof of registration at an accredited university for MSc and Ph.D. programs (for students)
- Proof of employment at a research institute or university in Africa (for young academics and professionals)
The Research proposal must include the following components in one PDF document.
- The proposal narrative should not be more than seven pages in length, single-spaced, in 12-point type with 1″ margins. Approximately three pages should be devoted to the problem statement/policy issue, theoretical framework, review of current literature, and research questions. The remaining four pages should include the methodology, contributions to policy, work plan, and dissemination plan. Applicants must present a clear and well thought out methodology and the analysis to be done. The brief dissemination plan should include the intended audience and relevant journals where the research findings might be submitted for publication and professional meetings where the findings might be presented (7 pages maximum).
- The conceptual model(s) that outline the framework or design of the study (2 pages maximum).
- Contribution to the field to briefly describe the potential contributions this research will make to the field of youth engagement in agribusiness and rural economic activities in Africa (200 words maximum).
- Reference list. A list of all references included in the text or in the models. Use complete citations, including titles and all authors. (No page limit)
- Budget. There is no specific template for the budget. It may be a simple 2-column format or a more complex spreadsheet.
Applications must be submitted electronically in English or French, by email to IITA-TrainingUnit@cgiar.org. Application documents must be submitted as PDF files. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications in advance of the deadline.
Contact IITA-TrainingUnit@cgiar.org if you have questions regarding the application or submission process. All applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.