Bonjour, food and agriculture enthusiasts! The Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR) Award is here to celebrate excellence in the field of agricultural research, with a particular focus on projects that improve food security, reduce poverty, and protect the environment.
However, if you’re a student pursuing a research project, a researcher working in a developing country, or a non-profit organization implementing agricultural innovations, this award could be the recognition you need to advance your work and make a lasting impact.
Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research Overview
For scientists and graduates of Swiss institutions engaged in agricultural research for development, the Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR) presents an annual Award.
Swiss institutions and private citizens engaged in agricultural research for development (ARD) comprise the informal multi-stakeholder Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR). Members are drawn from people as well as research institutes, NGOs, the commercial sector, farmers’ organizations, and government agencies.
The Goals of SFIAR
The SFIAR goals and objectives are:
- Share information with ARD stakeholders in Switzerland.
- Increase the visibility of Swiss ARD.
- Play an advocacy role at the policy level.
- Encourage partnerships with international organisations in ARD.
- Encourage collaboration among actors in Swiss ARD.
Aims
Under its goals, the SFIAR hosts the annual SFIAR Award. With this prize, the SFIAR pursues the following primary goals:
- Support agricultural research that is relevant to the development and the fulfilment of the SDGs.
- Promote knowledge sharing and visibility of Swiss ARD.
Scope
- The SFIAR aspires to award novel, innovative, and implementation-oriented research that will directly contribute to the accomplishment of the SDGs. Recent outputs, results, or milestones may be awarded, but no plans or project proposals are permitted.
- “ARD is a multi-dimensional research that addresses agricultural development concerns in developing and emerging countries (DEC). Crop production and animal husbandry, agro-forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, agribusiness and related enterprises, animal and human health issues, and the sustainable management of the natural resources on which farming is based, as well as the socio-cultural and biodiverse landscapes, food systems, and ecologies in which it is embedded, are all part of the agricultural domain. ARD disseminates technological, economic, and institutional information and innovations that contribute to sustainable development. It includes both national and worldwide public-good research and private-profit research.”
- The award’s thematic scope is broad. The European Initiative for Agricultural Research for Development (EIARD) defines agricultural research for development (ARD) as follows:
The Award
- The SFIAR Award has three categories: postdoc/team projects (CHF 10,000), PhD projects (CHF 5,000), and master’s thesis projects (CHF 1,000).
- In 2024, two awards are awarded: one (CHF 5,000) for the best PhD project and one (CHF 1,000) for the best Master’s thesis.
- The PostDoc/Team and PhD Prizes are granted annually on an alternating basis, whereas the Master’s Prize is awarded each year.
Conditions for Eligibility
SFIAR Award-eligible research includes:
- Is inside the scope defined
- Outreach at the agricultural level
- Tool or product development (or its steps)
- Has been finished preferably no longer than three years ago, or is ongoing with recent achievements/milestones (for Master’s Thesis Award: master’s thesis submitted no more than 24 months ago).
- Has been completed at or in close collaboration with a Swiss institution.
- Is the outcome of a collaboration with organizations and/or individuals situated in developing nations.
- Includes at least one of the following characteristics:
- The project was produced in collaboration with local partners.
Note: The application deadline is 03-Jul-24, for additional information, click here to visit the SFIAR.
The grant and awards come to a close, but the possibilities for positive impact remain infinite. Whether we’re working to improve food security, protect the environment, promote equity and justice, or simply trying to make a positive impact in our communities, the potential for creating a better world is always within our grasp.
Remember, the power to create positive change lies within each of us. So let’s continue to dream big, think creatively, and work together to make a real difference in the world. The journey continues!
