USDA’s Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship: Mexico Initiative for Agricultural Science and Technology

BACKGROUND

Since 2004, the U.S. Congress has made funds available to the Borlaug Fellowship Program to advance USDA’s agricultural research goals of promoting collaborative programs among agricultural professionals of eligible countries, agricultural professionals of the United States, the international agricultural research system, and United States entities conducting research by providing Fellowships to individuals from eligible countries who specialize or have experience in agricultural education, research, extension, or other related fields. Fellowships promote food security and economic growth in eligible countries by educating a new generation of agricultural scientists, increasing scientific knowledge and collaborative research to improve agricultural productivity, and extending that knowledge to users and intermediaries in the marketplace. The collaborative nature of the training and research programs not only benefits the Fellow, his or her home institution, and partner country; the U.S. host institution, its professors, researchers, and students; and the global agricultural sector by improving agricultural productivity, systems, and processes in partnering nations through the transfer of new science and agricultural technologies.

Objectives

USDA identifies Borlaug Participants based on country-specific topics of importance to international agricultural trade. USDA then places Participants with U.S. research institutions for 10-12-week intensive programs. These programs are expected to contribute to the strategic goals and objectives of the Participant and the institutions through a hands-on experience in a “real-world” agricultural research scenario, providing opportunity for application of research agendas where they can have a direct impact on food security and economic growth in an emerging economy. It is hoped that host institutions will share the knowledge gained through the program in their classroom and extension work with their faculty, students, extension officers, and constituents; and that they will continue to maintain professional contacts with the Participants after their departure from the United States.

SCOPE OF WORK

The selected institution will design and implement a training program to meet the Participant’s proposed research goals and objectives to the closest extent possible. The selected institution will also include leadership and communication training to help the fellow better communicate research conducted under their fellowship to policy makers in their respective countries to help implement science based agricultural policies. The Participant’s proposed research and training objectives, and full descriptions are in the appendix which can be quickly accessed vis the link in the table:

Fellow specific objectives:

• Fellow 1 – Plant Growth Promoting Fungi for Crops Improvement: Bioprospecting as Biofertilizers and Biopesticides; Developing a Certification System for Biofertilizers and Biopesticides. (page 17)

• Fellow 2 – Fungi PCR and DNA Extraction and Methodology of Detection and Identification of Pesticides Via Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) of Fresh Vegetables; U.S. Standards for Pesticide Use. (page 20)

• Fellow 3 – Agricultural Products Trade Policy – Market and Trade Data Analysis of Grains and Agriproducts Traded Between the U.S. and Mexico. (page 25)

• Fellow 4 –Abiotic Stress Use to Increase Antioxidants/Bioactive Compounds and Heavy Metal Chelation in Tomato Plants. (page 29)

• Fellow 5 – Mycorrhizal Fungi Biofertilizers and Certification. (page 33)

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

• The applicant is expected to host participants at a research facility on their campus in the United States.

• The Participant is expected to spend two to three days at the USDA in Washington DC at the commencement and at the end of their fellowship program to brief and debrief with key USDA officers. The mentor or PI will be expected to make all necessary travel arrangements as well as accompany the Participant during both trips.

• The mentor is expected to make a reciprocal visit of up to two weeks to the participant’s home institution, which may be in a developing country.