The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) links U.S. agriculture to the world to promote American agricultural products and exports. FAS implements U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) fellowship programs and non-emergency assistance programs that mutually benefit the United States and partner countries to increase participation in international agricultural trade and to help facilitate agriculture-led economic growth. These FAS programs link U.S. and foreign scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to jointly address shared priorities, including but not limited to plant and animal health and food safety issues. For example, recent participants in the FAS Borlaug Fellowship Program and Cochran Fellowship Program have worked on combating aflatoxin, brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease, highly pathogenic avian influenza, Rift Valley fever, tuberculosis, fall armyworm and additional diseases and pests of economic importance. FAS programs also promote U.S. international cooperation on other mutually beneficial applications of life sciences, such as biotechnology for improving crop traits.
NATURE OF ASSISTANCE: FAS fellowship programs and technical assistance programs are educational, typically focused on training for individuals or small focus groups (i.e., workforce development) that can help develop foreign governments’ agricultural institutions and systems to enhance their ability to be effective trade partners.
TIMING: Each FAS fellowship and technical assistance program has a unique, limited period to solicit and review applications and implement activities.
SPECIFIC COUNTRIES OF INTEREST OR OTHER RELEVANT CRITERIA FOR
ASSISTANCE: FAS programs are competitive and target developing and middle-income countries that are committed to agriculture-led economic growth.
