The Future Agricultures Consortium (FAC) is today launching a new fellowship programme for the next generation of researchers working on the future of agriculture in Africa. The Early Career Fellowship Programme is designed for professionals who have recently graduated from post-graduate studies and are beginning their careers. The programme is a key step towards strengthening the research capacity of young students to carry out high-quality research and engage in pro-poor policy making.

Founded in 2005, the FAC is a network of Africa and UK-based researchers, engaged in evidence-based research and committed to generating a dialogue on the future of agriculture in Africa. The start of the new programme coincides with the launch of FAC's new website, www.future-agricultures.org, which now features details of the latest news, e-debates and events, along with more than 200 FAC research publications and resources covering a range of policy issues.

Further details Three types of awards are available:

• Africa-based, full time for one-year, post-Masters or post-Doctoral fellowship;
• Africa-based, part time for one-year, post-Masters or post-Doctoral fellowship; and
• UK-based, full time for six-months, post-Doctoral fellowship.

Successful applicants will be linked up with FAC members who will provide mentoring support during the fellowship. Applications should be in line with one of FAC's eight thematic areas:

1. Political economy and policy processes
2. Agricultural commercialisations
3. Growth and social protection
4. Science, technology and innovation
5. Climate change
6. Land
7. Pastoralism
8. Youth and agriculture

How to apply
Further information and application forms are available on the programme pages of the FAC website. From these pages, applications can be made using the Online Application Form or by downloading the ECFP - Application Form, which should be submitted to FAC-Fellowships@future-agricultures.org. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2010.

Applications should include a personal profile, proposed area of research, institutional affiliation and the FAC theme and mentor with whom the candidate proposes to work. Further details of FAC themes and researchers are available on the FAC website. Applications from female candidates are strongly encouraged.

Further questions about the programme should be addressed to Gem Argwings-Kodhek, a FAC member associated with Tegemeo Institute of Egerton University in Kenya. He can be contacted at FAC-Fellowships@future-agricultures.org.

Fieldwork bursary scheme for Masters' students
FAC is also supporting a fieldwork bursary scheme for Masters' students wishing to undertake original fieldwork as part of their studies. The scheme is being run in partnership with the Collaborative Masters Programme in Agricultural and Applied Economics in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (CMAAE), based in Kenya. In the near future, the Consortium will be developing similar partnerships for support of other Masters' programmes for students outside the field of agricultural economics. Further details will be available on the website in due course.

The Future Agricultures Consortium - along with the new fellowship and bursary schemes - is supported by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and has a secretariat currently based at IDS.

David Hughes is Communications and Networking Officer at the Future Agricultures Consortium.

Source: www.ids.ac.uk/go/news/fellowships-for-africa-s-future-researchers