GIST is the flagship U.S. government international program on innovation and entrepreneurship. GIST participants in low and middle-income economies can develop skills, build networks, find mentors, and access financing through a combination of in-country training, a global pitch competition, interactive online programming, and direct connections to U.S. experts. Funding Opportunity OES-OPP-17-001. The application deadline is 15 December 2016. Link
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Inter-Research Science Center — Prizes and Fellowships 2017
The International Ecology Institute in Germany annually selects top performers worldwide in the field of ecology for the Ecology Institute Prize and the IRPE Prize. The winner of the Ecology Institute Prize will be awarded €6 thousand; the winner of the IRPE Prize will receive €3 thousand. Nominations are invited from research ecologists worldwide. The closing date for nominations is 30 April 2017. Additionally, the Center calls for nominations for the Otto Kinne Foundation Fellowship, with deadline on 31 October 2017. Link
National Cheng Kung University — Gro Bruntland Awards 2017
Taiwan’s Cheng Kung University will host Gro Bruntland Week in March 2017 to honor Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway and Director-General of the World Health Organization. Five young female scientists, one from Taiwan and four from developing countries, will be invited to present their research related to public health and sustainable development. TVG Note: This can possibly include research related to food production and nutrition, water supply, or other environmental influences on health. Candidates should be female, less than 40 years old, and hold a research doctorate. The deadline to apply is 04 December 2016. Link
Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology, and Society — Fellowships 2017-2018
The IAS-STS in Graz (Austria) promotes interdisciplinary research on interactions among science, technology and society. Its annual fellowship program supports international research fellows for up to nine months of research at the Institute, and visiting scholars for shorter periods. Themes include gender, technology, and environment; life sciences and biotechnology; low-carbon energy systems; eco-design and public procurement; and sustainable food systems. The closing date for applications is 31 December 2016. Link
Ghent University — International Master of Science in Rural Development 2017
The International Master of Science in Rural Development (IMRD) is a two-year master’s program in rural development and agricultural economics, focusing on socioeconomic and institutional aspects. The IMRD comprises a consortium of 13 participating universities in the EU, China, Ecuador, India, South Africa, South Korea, and the USA. The program invites qualified individuals from around the world to apply. The program offers scholarships. To be eligible for a scholarship, applications to the program must be submitted by 01 March 2017. Link
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation — Doctoral Scholarships 2017
Each year, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation awards up to fifteen scholarships to Canadian and international doctoral candidates pursuing research related to one of its four founding themes, one of which is “People and their Natural Environment.” This theme includes studies of a social, economic or political nature that lead to the identification, evaluation, or dissemination of sustainable environmental practices. It also includes an interest in environmental security at the global level, and in the link between healthy ecosystems, communities, and individuals. Candidates must be nominated by the Canadian or international institution where they wish to study or are currently studying. Universities can nominate a candidate from their institution who is pursuing doctoral studies at another university. The deadline for submissions by the universities is 09 December 2016. Link
Olam — Prize for Food Security 2017
The Olam Prize for Innovation in Food Security honors and offers financial support to an outstanding research project for its potential impact on the availability, affordability, accessibility, or adequacy of food. Olam invites applications from research projects in plant science, soil science, nutritional science, agricultural sciences, and any other field of scientific research impacting food security, focused on any part of the agricultural supply chain. The winning research project will receive US$50 thousand in unrestricted funding to support further development of the research project. The deadline for applications is 17 January 2017. Link
European Commission Horizon 2020 — Sustainable Food Security 2017
The Horizon 2020 program of research and innovation includes topics that are suitable for international cooperation. This includes cooperation in several projects of sustainable food security (SFS). Topic SFS-8-2017 will research accessible and cost-efficient alternatives to contentious inputs (e.g., copper) in organic farming. Topic SFS-10-2017 will explore methods to detect and arrest emerging diseases and pests in plants and terrestrial livestock. Topic SFS-13-2017 will focus on protocols for the detection and quantification of pathogens and other factors of concern for the health of plants and terrestrial animals, and correlates of infection/immunity. Topic SFS-21-2016-2017 will support research on the knowledge base and management tools for fisheries in waters of third countries with which the EU has signed sustainable fisheries partnership agreements, and in international waters covered by regional fisheries management organisations. Topic SFS-30-2017 will support research on effective solutions for managing carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in agro-ecosystems. Topic SFS-43-2017 invites research proposals on using Earth observation assets to advance the projection of food supply and agricultural risk assessment in Africa. Topic SFS-46-2017 aims to reduce the use of anti-microbial drugs for treating farm animals in Europe and China. Topic SFS-47-2017 addresses the topic of soil-water management for increased crop production and agro-ecosystem services in Europe and China. Topic SFS-48-2017 aims to research resource-efficient urban agriculture, using examples in Europe and China. Topic SFS-50-2017 will explore agricultural soil carbon sequestration in different pedo-climatic conditions. Eligibility for funding in most topics extends to EU countries, Horizon 2020 associated countries, and over 100 mainly developing countries. The application deadline is 14 February 2017. Link
UK Department for International Development — Agri-Tech Catalyst for Developing Countries
The Agri-Tech Catalyst aims to increase the pace and scale of uptake of agricultural innovation by farmers in developing countries. Projects should focus in any of three categories: early-stage technical feasibility; industrial research; or late-stage experimental development. Project leaders must be UK businesses (or UK research organizations in the case of early-stage technical feasibility). Projects should include at least one consortium member from an eligible developing country. The amount of project co-funding available through DFID varies by category and business size. The deadlines for registration are 26 October 2016 for industrial research, and 25 January 2017 for the other two categories. Link
World Bank — Big Data Innovation Challenge
The World Bank is interested in how “big data” can be used to address development questions, including how climate change affects food security and forestry and watersheds. Solutions may include but are not limited to analytical methodologies, APIs, algorithms, software applications, tools, and new data set generation. Technologies may include artificial intelligence, crowd-sourcing applications, data science, dynamic visualizations, machine learning, and predictive analytics. The Challenge will award US$10 thousand to the winner in each of the following two categories: (i) food security or nutrition, and (ii) forestry or watersheds. Submissions are invited from individuals, students, entrepreneurs, start-ups, university labs, private companies, nonprofits, and public sector agencies legally established in member countries of the World Bank Group. The closing date for submissions is 09 November 2016. Link