Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan is funding on-the-job training programme in developing countries. Scientists from developing countries are eligible for this training programme. The programme aims to develop capacity of young agricultural researchers for sustainable agriculture in developing countries. Researcher must be less than 45 years of age and hold at least a bachelor’s degree. The training programme covers airfare, accommodation, basic medical and accident insurance, research funding, travel cost and indirect costs charged by the host institution. Application should be send electronically by 10 August 2013.
Study Subject(s): The project is offered in sustainable agriculture.
Course Level: The programme mainly consists of capacity building through on-the-job training (OJT) for young researchers in developing countries (trainees).
Provider: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
Project can be taken at: Developing countries
Eligibility: Only host scientists are eligible to apply. A person other than a host scientist (such as a potential trainee) cannot apply.
This programme is not a scholarship.
a) The host scientist/applicant must:
- In principle, be a scientist belonging to a research organization under CGIAR or UNU, or an agricultural research organization, a university, etc., in a developing country.
- be presently conducting research related to sustainable agriculture in developing countries, and must be able to train the trainee(s) based on his/her current research.
- be physically present at the host institution throughout the OJT period. If an assistant instructor employed by the host institution is assigned to the OJT, the host scientist may be away from the host institution for up to half of the duration of the OJT period.
- undertake capacity building with the full consent of the host institution (a letter of support signed by the head of the host institution must be provided).
- provide evidence of the consent of the selected trainee(s).
- obtain consent from the assistant instructor, where applicable;
- be able to write his/her application form and reports in English; and
- enable the trainee(s) to recognize the challenges of sustainable agriculture in his/her own country, guide trainees to develop their action plans, and assist and confirm the trainees to engage in technology dissemination and/or research activities based on his/her action plans after the OJT.
b) The trainee(s) must:
- be a national of a developing country (in principle, those countries included in the OECD’s DAC list of ODA recipients); priority is granted to projects which receive trainees from APEC and ASEAN developing countries since this programme qualifies as a contribution to APEC and ASEAN ;
- belong to a national or public agricultural research institute, university, etc., in a developing country and return to his/her institute after the OJT;
- be less than 45 years of age. However, trainees who are less than 40 years of age will be given priority in the selection;
- hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a university or be recognized by the selection committee as possessing equivalent academic qualifications;
- obtain the consent of his/her institution for project participation;
- not be the recipient of any funds from other sources for similar programs;
- be able to communicate in the same language with the host scientist; and
- recognize the challenges of sustainable agriculture in his/her own country, develop an action plan and be willing to implement technology dissemination and/or research activities based on his/her action plan immediately after the OJT.
c) The assistant instructor must:
- be currently conducting research together with the host scientist or under his/her supervision on research related to sustainable agriculture in developing countries; and
- be qualified to assist training based on his/her research background. A post-doctoral fellow can be considered as an assistant instructor.
Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Developing countries researchers are eligible for this on-the-job research training.
Scholarship Description: UNU-ISP will support capacity building projects proposed and implemented by leading scientists (host scientists) who are engaged in research related to sustainable agriculture (including forestry and fisheries) in developing countries, under the responsibility of a host institution. The programme mainly consists of capacity building through on-the-job training (OJT) for young researchers in developing countries (trainees).
The purpose of this programme is to:
- Develop capacity for agricultural research in developing countries.
- Disseminate new agricultural technologies that are adaptable by local farmers and to local conditions, and
- ultimately contribute towards increasing global food production by promoting sustainable agriculture in developing countries. For this fiscal year, in support of the activities of Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA), priority will be given to those projects which relate to climate change mitigation. Each capacity building project is planned and implemented by a leading scientist (host scientist) who is engaged in research related to sustainable agriculture in developing countries
Number of award(s): Approximately 10 projects (in the case of 2 trainees per project) will be selected. The amount of funds provided to each institution may be adjusted based on the total funds available. A host scientist may submit two or more applications, but only one can be approved.
Duration of award(s): Each year, the project runs from 1 August to 31 July.
What does it cover? The programme will cover costs for the following items:
a) OJT for the trainee(s) under the host scientist and guidance for action plan development to be implemented by the trainee(s) after the OJT:
- a discounted round-trip economy-class air ticket and related expenses for travel by the trainee(s) from his/her institute to the host institution(s) where the OJT will take place;
- subsistence allowance for the trainee(s) to cover accommodation and other living expenses during the OJT period;
- an allowance to cover basic medical and accident insurance for the trainee(s) during the OJT period;
- research and capacity building funds including supplies. The purchase of durable equipment (scientific equipment, computers, cameras, projectors and microscope, etc.) to a cost of less than 100,000 Japanese yen per item;
- the assistant instructor’s remuneration (paid on an as-needed basis) and travel costs; and
- indirect costs charged by the host institution. This programme does not cover salaries or regular allowances for host scientists. Only those travel costs and travel allowances necessary for the OJT and follow-up guidance are provided) Follow-up guidance. 1. Travel allowance for the host scientist; 2.office supplies necessary for guidance; and 3.communication expenses (telephone calls, postage costs, etc.).
Selection Criteria: Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:
1. a thorough understanding of the purpose of the program; and
2. the suitability of the capacity building project, including:
- the relevance of the research project proposed by the host scientist (applicant);
- the relevance of the project to the research achievements of the host scientist;
- the relevance of the project to the research activities of the trainee(s);
- the suitability of the capacity building plan, including the concept of
- the action plan and planning of follow-up guidance;
- the adequacy of the budget plan, e.g., air ticket, subsistence allowance, research and capacity building funds, overheads, etc.; and
- the sustainability of, and potential to further develop, the capacity building results.
3. Whether there are trainees from APEC and ASEAN developing countries; and
4. How the project is related to climate change mitigation
Notification: Applicants will be notified in late August 2013.
How to Apply: The mode of applying is electronically.
Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is 10 August 2013.
