Call for MSc/MA. Research Fund Opportunity for Female Applicants

WAGENINGEN
UNIVERSITY & RESEARCH

Stichting Wageningen Research Ethiopia

To: WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

Subject: Call for MSc/MA. Research Fund Opportunity for Female Applicants

Stichting Wageningen Research (SWR) Ethiopia is an international NGO based in Ethiopia. SWR Ethiopia is affiliated to Wageningen University & Research of the Netherlands. Its mission is to leverage transformation in Ethiopian food systems. One of the projects implemented by SWR is the Ethiopia Netherlands Seed Partnership (ENSP). ENSP is a project that evolved from the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) that has been implemented in Ethiopia for more than a decade.

One of the major intervention areas of ENSP is capacity development of seed sector actors and engaging more professionals in the sector. In this regard, SWR Ethiopia, ENSP project has a plan to award MSc. /MA. Students of higher institutes with research fund grant.

Applicants of the MSc. /MA. Research fund are expected to fulfill the following criteria.

 

1. MSc. /MA. Students of Higher Institutes

2. Ready to prepare their proposal

3. A student with higher academic and research competency

4. Interested and ready to work and answer ENSP learning agenda (thematic areas
stated in the attached document)

5. An applicant who is ready to prepare a brief the research proposal, according
the attached ENSP application format

6. Ready to govern by the rules, regulation and agreement of SWR Ethiopia

The SWR Ethiopia, ENSP learning questions, to be answered through research are:

#1. Conflict, disaster and seed insecurity

1. What is the impact of conflict and disaster on the Ethiopian seed system and whatare the ways to mitigate and support seed system resilience in such areas of
Ethiopia?

2. How private, public intermediary and informal seed businesses contribute to
improved access to quality seed for small scale farmers in conflict/disaster affected
areas?

3. How can private sector and public sector; formal, intermediary and informal seed
systems; private seed companies or local seed businesses, and different actors work towards creating sustainable access to quality seed for small scale farmers in conflict/disaster affected areas?

#2.Competition in the seed sector

1. What are future scenarios for the position, roles, and markets of local,national and international seed companies in the seed sector of Ethiopia?

What should local seed companies do to be prepared for the future competition?

2. What are important requirements for the Ethiopian seed sector where both
national and international seed companies can be active, building on their respective areas of competence?

#3. Seed sector governance

1.What evidence is required to be able to ‘right-size’ public policies to Ethiopia’s demand for seed?

2. What are barriers and enablers to enforcement of available seed related laws and regulations across Ethiopia?

3. How the seed sector of Ethiopia is currently governed and how it should be governed better (which elements of existing governance indices would be useful to include in a quality of seed sector governance index tool? Is quality
data available for Ethiopian seed sector governance, if not, what are missing and how can it be (easily) collected? How to translate this into a comprehensive seed sector dashboard?)

4. What is the progress of transformation of the seed sector in terms of the main functions of the seed sector,their interaction with socio-economic and environmental drivers, and effect on food system outcomes?

#Application procedure

1. An applicant should fill the application form

2. An applicant should submit a brief proposal (based on ENSP format), attached

3. The application form should be signed and stamped by the respective departments of students

4. All the documents should be scanned and send (in PDF format) to hermine.tenhove@wur.nl copy to ansha.yesufe.swr@gmail.com

5. The deadline for application is May 6, 2023

#Enclosure:

MSc. /MA. Application form ENSP Learning Agenda and proposal format:

1. Call for Proposal
2. Canvas to document
3. Application Form