The Misk Foundations seeks innovative ways to positively engage young people (under the age of 30) in Global Citizenship. Participants are invited to propose innovative and creative solutions that uses new knowledge to positively engage young people in efforts that will reduce inequality related to six Global Goals: (1) No poverty; (2) Zero hunger; (3) Good health and well-being; (4) Quality education; (5) Gender equality; and (6) Clean water and sanitation. Over a three-year period, Misk Grand Challenges will launch new challenges, offering 100 young innovators across the world a grant of $100 thousand to develop their ingenious ideas into a concrete proof of concept. The application deadline for the current window is 13 May 2018. Activating Global Citizenship Challenge
agriculture
Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition — Food Sustainability Media Award
The Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN) and the Thomson Reuters Foundation invite professional journalists and emerging talent from all over the world to participate in the Food Sustainability Media Award. Applicants may submit written journalism and multimedia (photography, audio and video) contents related to food security, sustainability, agriculture and nutrition. Published projects will be awarded a cash prize of € 10 thousand. Applications will be open until 31 May 2018. Know more
Israeli Agency for International Development — Course: Intensive Crop Production
Israel’s Agency for International Development (MASHAV) offers professional short courses in Israel in subject areas that include agriculture, energy, health, education, and social development. MASHAV offers a limited number of scholarships to cover course fees, accommodation, medical insurance, and other expenses in Israel. The international course on “Irrigation and Fertigation for Intensive Crop Production” will focus on applied irrigation and fertigation technologies, management of water resources, and fertilizers and nutrient solutions. The course is geared towards professionals from governmental and non-governmental institutions, universities, research institutes and/or private sector involved in agricultural development projects under irrigation as well as in research, extension and/or intensive agricultural production. Additionally, MASHAV offers professional courses in Spanish, Russian, and French. Deadline for applications is 06 March 2018. Link
National Geographic Society — Sustainable Cities
The National Geographic Society seeks proposals from around the world that aim to test innovative approaches to issues surrounding the production or consumption of energy, food, infrastructure and fresh water in and around cities. Projects may be focused around conservation, education, research, storytelling, or technology. Applicants may request from US$10 thousand to US$150 thousand to be used over one or two years. Short deadline: 03 January 2018. See the Request for Proposals
U.S. Department of State — Global Food Security Strategy
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks participants to co-create, co-invest, and collaborate on research and development interventions to address development challenges for food and nutrition security in Asia. USAID invites organizations and companies to submit an Expression of Interest. USAID will invest US$ 3 million in total. The Mission plans to hold a webinar on 10 January 2018. Closing date for submittal of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) is 31 January 2018. Details
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture aims to promote and support the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. The goal is to enable farmers from developing countries around the world access to adapted varieties leading to increased productivity. The Benefit-sharing Fund funds single country projects (maximum funding/project: US$ 250 thousand) and multi-country projects (maximum funding/project: US$ 450 thousand) for up to 48 months. Eligible applicants include governmental and non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and regional and international organizations based in developing countries. The International Treaty provides a “helpdesk” in Arabic, English, French and Spanish. The deadline for submitting pre-proposals is 01 March 2018. Access the fourth Call for Proposals
European Commission — Master of Science in Food Security and Climate Change 2018-2020
The Master of Science in Food Security and Climate Change (MS FSCC) is a joint degree for students from Southeast Asia funded by the European Commission’s ERASMUS+ Capacity Building for Higher Education. Each MS FSCC student will be enrolled in two universities, be supervised jointly by professors from these universities, and have a joint thesis defense. The ERASMUS+ funding provides excellent students in the program with a chance to spend one semester at a partner university in Europe. Applications close on 31 January 2018. About the MS program
American Academy for the Advancement of Science — Global Innovation through Science and Technology 2018
The program Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) invites scientists, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators in 136 emerging countries to compete in the GIST Tech-I Competition 2018. The competition is open to everyone between the ages of 18 to 40 in any sector who has either an idea or a startup in the form of an invention, a product, a service, an app, any combination of these, or something entirely unique. Each participant in the competition submits an executive summary and a promotional video. The top 10 semi-finalists will advance to the Tech-I finals during the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Istanbul, Turkey to showcase their ventures and receive intensive training. The application deadline is 28 December 2017. More here
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment — Innovative Use of Land Contracts
The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) will make two grants of US$10 thousand each for innovative uses of www.OpenLandContracts.org, an online repository of publicly available commercial agriculture and forestry contracts. Users of the website can search contracts by different categories; view summaries of key social, human rights, environmental, fiscal, and operational provisions; compare certain provisions across contracts; and download full contracts. CCSI offers the grants to support and advance innovative uses of the repository and of the content available through it. Applications must be received by CCSI on or before 31 January 2018. Link
United Nations University — Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships 2018
The United Nations University offers postdoctoral fellowships to young scholars and policymakers, especially from the developing world. One fellowships program is with the UNU’s Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS); the other is with the UNU’s Center for Policy Research (UNU-CPR). The research themes include ecosystem services; water and urban development; governance for sustainable development; low-carbon technology; and others. There are no nationality requirements, but applicants should be fluent in English. The closing date for applications is 28 February 2018. About this Fellowship