The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (LEAP) is seeking applications for fellowship grant opportunities for students from Sub-Saharan Africa.  The deadline is June 12, 2012.  Applications are requested from Sub-Saharan African students conducting research on topics related to USAID’s global hunger and food security initiative – FEED THE FUTURE.  The focus region is Sub-Saharan Africa.  All topics related to agriculture (as defined by Title XII) and the research strategies of the Feed the Future initiative are admissible.  The Borlaug LEAP fellowship program supports engaging a mentor at a US university and at a CGIAR center to support and enhance the thesis research and mentoring experience.

Awards are made on a competitive basis to students who show strong scientific and leadership potential.  Funds are available for one-year and cannot exceed US$20,000.  For more information on eligibility criteria and to download the application, please visit their website at:

http://leap.ucdavis.edu

The Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund (ABCF) is a competitive grant that enables scientists from national research institutes and universities within the eastern and central Africa region to conduct research at the world-class research facilities of the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), in Nairobi, Kenya.

From the attached call for applications

Scientists who are conducting research in the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply, as are women candidates:

Research on orphan (understudied) crops to boost productivity, including

• Amaranth
• African wild mushrooms
• Enset
• Other under-researched important African crops

Deadline for applications is March 30th 2012