Carrières et appels

Call for proposals

The Climate Food and Farming (CLIFF) Research Network invite applications from students from developing countries,¹ currently enrolled in PhD programs for short-term (3-4 month) scientific training and research stays at CGIAR research centers. Applicants should have a background in agriculture and climate change research and be pursuing graduate research related to measurement of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage in agricultural systems.

Selected students will be sponsored for short-term (3-4 month) scientific training and research stays at CGIAR centers in their home regions, or affiliated research institutions.² During their tenure at host institutions, students will learn approaches used in the Standard Assessment of Agricultural Mitigation Potential and Livelihoods (SAMPLES) research program to evaluate options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from smallholder systems and the changes in productivity and livelihood indicators associated with alternative practices.

Specific topics will depend on the student’s and host institution scientists’ interests. An outline of likely topics is included below. Applications are invited for training and travel grants of 10,000 USD. The grants will be used to support living and research costs at the host institution.

It is important to note that these grants will not necessarily be to support participants’ own research, but to facilitate training on techniques and methods that can then be used in the participants’ graduate research.

Background

The CLIFF Research Network is a collaborative initiative of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), low emissions agriculture flagship, and CGIAR centers worldwide. The Network aims to build the capacity of young scientists, generate novel climate change research on smallholder farming systems, and facilitate South-South knowledge exchange. Starting in 2011, CLIFF has provided small grants to support PhD research and training on topics related to estimation of greenhouse gas mitigation potential in agricultural systems.

The SAMPLES program

SAMPLES is a global research program to improve data on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation potentials. SAMPLES aims to generate robust and comparable data on greenhouse gas emissions and livelihood indicators for smallholder farming systems. SAMPLES is a CCAFS program. Activities within the SAMPLES program are carried out by a network of researchers at several CGIAR centers.

Application requirements

The application must include the following documents merged into one pdf file:

• 1-2 page motivation letter (described below).
• 1-page curriculum vitae that includes your contact details.
• Letter of support from your university supervisor
• All applications must be in English

The motivation letter, which must be no more than two A4 pages, must include the following:

1. Your name, citizenship and the country where you are conducting your graduate study
2. The objectives of your graduate research.
3. Research experience in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture or soil carbon storage in agricultural systems.
4. Justification for the short-term scientific visit. How will scientific training with CGIAR scientists improve your graduate research?
5. If you have an existing connection with a CGIAR center and would prefer to undertake your research visit at that center, please note that in your letter. Such a connection is NOT a requirement for application.

Eligibility and conditions

• Applicants must be currently enrolled PhD students.
• Applicants must be students from and conducting their research in a developing
• country.³
• Grant money should be used to finance the short-term scientific visit, NOT tuition or other fees related to the degree.
• Scientific visits must take place before 30 September 2017.

Submission and process for selection

Applications must be submitted on or before the 7 November 2016. To submit your application and ask questions, please contact Julianna White, Program Manager for CCAFS Low Emissions Agriculture (julianna.m.white@uvm.edu).

Successful applicants will be matched with a CGIAR scientist and research center and notified by email in November 2016.

Other activities

Grant recipients automatically become members of the CLIFF network, which provides networking and collaborative opportunities with fellow students and leading experts.

More information

CCAFS Low Emissions Agriculture: https://ccafs.cgiar.org/themes/low-emissions-agriculture

SAMPLES, a CCAFS program: www.samples.ccafs.cgiar.org

CLIFF Network: http://ccafs.cgiar.org/climate-food-and-farming-network

Please visit these websites before preparing your application.

^{1 Includes all countries NOT listed as “high income economies” by the World Bank http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lendinggroups
2 Scientific stays to non-CGIAR centers will be considered if justified.
3 Includes all countries NOT listed as “high income economies” by the World Bank http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lendinggroups}

^{Photo caption: CLIFF student Bernardo del Campo investigates the potential of biochar to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and increase agricultural productivity in Nicaragua (view original).}