The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) received a three-year research grant for “Enhancing
capacity to apply research evidence in policy for youth engagement in agribusiness and rural economic
activities in Africa” funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Deadline for submission is 23:59 WAT, 28 February 2018
Under the framework of this project, IITA is pleased to announce 20 research fellowships for 2018. This is
an action-oriented fellowship for young academics and professionals, and students at the post-course
work/research stage of their programs. The research grant program seeks to contribute to policy
development in youth engagement in agribusiness and rural economic activities in Africa. It is designed to
provide opportunities to engage youth to improve the availability and use of evidence for youth policies and
decision-making related to youth participation in agribusiness and rural economic activities by providing them
with: funding, support, and the expertise of IITA’s scientists; skills and competencies in social and economic
research; and a community of other fellows with whom to exchange ideas.
Eligibility Criteria
- The fellowships cover 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 (i) an employee of a research institute or university in Africa (applicable to young
academics and professionals only); and/or a student registered in a PhD or Master’s program in
recognized universities, majoring in agricultural economics, agribusiness, or economics or a related
social science, and must have finished their university course work (applicable to students only). - The duration of the research should not exceed 6 months.
Application Requirements
To apply for the Research Fellowship, applicants must submit the following:
- Completed application form (download application form here).
- Copy of the passport or other statement of citizenship.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV), work history and education. CVs should be no longer than two pages.
- Proof of registration at an accredited university for MSc and PhD programs.
- Proof of employment at a research institute or university in Africa.
- Research proposals should be organized in the order listed below, and page limitations for
components must be observed. Please include your last name and first initial in the uploaded
document’s name (example: LastName_FirstInitial_proposal.pdf). 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.
Selection Criteria
Evaluation criteria will include the importance of the proposed policy issue, the strength of the
methodological model, and 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?
Submission of Applications
Applications must be submitted electronically in English or French, by email to IITA-TrainingUnit@cgiar.org
or online at…. Applicants will be asked to enter specific information in text boxes and upload documents in
PDF format.
The deadline for submission is 23:59 WAT, 28 February 2018. Applicants are encouraged to
submit proposals in advance of the deadline.
