The Tony Elumelu Foundation fosters and supports start-up enterprises in Africa. The TEF Entrepreneurship Program provides mentoring, training, forums, seed capital, and alumni support to individuals in Africa proposing new business ideas or early-stage companies in sectors that include agriculture, among others. Participants receive up to US$5 thousand in seed capital. The program is open to citizens and legal residents ages 18 and older in any African country. The next application deadline (English, French, Portuguese) is 01 March 2026. TEF Entrepreneurship Program
Category: Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry
The course “Tropical Forest Landscapes: Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use” is an online certificate program for environmental professionals from around the world. The program combines online coursework with an in-person field component in the tropics and is open to applicants from any country with relevant professional experience; a university degree is recommended but not always required. The course covers themes in tropical forest landscape conservation and restoration, climate change mitigation, and food security. Partial scholarships are available on a competitive basis. Scholarship awards cover between 25-75% of the tuition fee. The application deadline is 16 May 2026. Link to the course
The Dissertation Doctorate Program for Agriculture and Natural Resources aims to contribute to the enhancement of agricultural research and development in Southeast Asia. The scholarship provides one slot annually for a three-year graduate program leading to a Dissertation Doctorate at Tokyo NODAI. The scholarship is open only to nationals of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam. Applicants must submit an application form by 30 March 2026. More about the dissertation scholarship
The ICGEB SMART Fellowship program provides fellowships to scientists in the early stage of their career wishing to spend between 3 and 9 months at a research institution in an ICGEB Member State other than their own. The stipend ranges from US$ 800 to US$1,500 per month. SMART Fellowships are intended to promote collaboration among researchers. Applications are welcome in any area of the Life Sciences. The application deadline is 31 March 2026. SMART Fellowship
The FAO Partnership Award recognizes institutions or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding cooperation with FAO to advance global food security and sustainable agrifood systems. It includes a cash prize of US$10 thousand and a scroll of recognition. Eligible nominees include FAO Member countries, UN agencies, international institutions, academic/research entities, civil society organizations, private sector partners, and media outlets that can show meaningful collaboration and impact aligned with FAO’s strategic goals. Nominations must be endorsed by an FAO Representative or Director to be valid. The deadline to submit nominations is 15 February 2026. FAO Partnership Award
The World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator supports startups, NGOs, companies, and social enterprises worldwide that are developing innovative solutions to strengthen long-term resilience in fragile and crisis-affected contexts, particularly in areas such as food security, climate resilience, livelihoods, and emergency response. Selected innovators receive up to US$100 thousand in equity-free funding, along with hands-on technical support, and mentorship. The challenge is open to both early-stage and more mature innovations with proven potential for impact. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. WFP Innovation Accelerator
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and SERCA offer MS and PhD scholarships in agriculture at partner universities in Southeast Asia. The scholarship is open to nationals from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Vietnam planning to pursue graduate studies in development-related fields. The scholarship covers tuition, study and research allowance, food and accommodation, in-region travel, and insurance. The deadline for application is 15 January 2026. DAAD Scholarship
The Structural Transformation of African Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STAARS) fellowship program announces its annual call for research proposals. STAARS Fellows will be paired with researcher mentors from Cornell University or the World Bank with whom they will jointly author a paper on a topic of mutual interest relating to structural transformation in Africa south of the Sahara. The call is open to early career researchers, either Ph.D. students in their final year prior to degree completion. The selected applicants will receive funds to cover travel and participation in a three-week mentorship program. The deadline to submit a research proposal is 16 January 2026. Link to STAARS Fellowship
African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) announces the AWARD Leadership Program for Emerging African Women in Science. The call targets young women in science under 35 years of age from Kenya, Malawi, and Senegal. Selected candidates will participate in a nine-month capacity building program. The call for applications closes on 31 January 2026. AWARD Leadership Program
The Arboretum Research Scholar Award supports early-career scientists, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers conducting plant-focused research that aligns with the Arboretum’s living collections, herbarium, archives, or scientific priorities in areas such as botany, ecology, evolution, and conservation. Awardees receive up to US$10 thousand to support research expenses including travel, lodging, materials, or access to Arboretum resources. The program is open to researchers worldwide, and projects may be short-term or exploratory in nature. Applications are accepted until 01 February 2026. Arboretum Research Scholar Award
- Tags: awards/prizes, biology, early-career, february2026, forests, individuals, research, worldwide