Russell E. Train Fellowships: WWF Food Systems Fellowship Grant

The WWF Food Systems Fellowship aims to promote environmental sustainability and equitable food distribution by supporting researchers and practitioners in graduate studies. It fosters understanding of food systems' complexities at local and global levels, addressing climate change, biodiversity, and human health. The fellowship encourages innovative solutions through diverse partnerships, focusing on governance, technology, and community engagement. Eligible applicants from specific countries can apply for funding to enhance their expertise and contribute to transformative food system practices.

Addressing the urgent need for environmental sustainability while ensuring equitable distribution of food and optimal nutrition will require integrated strategies to understand how the food systems, people, and nature interact at a varying scope and scale. Food systems at local, regional, and global levels are complex, ranging from traditional subsistence to modernized approaches. Global-level analyses can mask important differences in food systems around the world and the individual actions that countries can take to transform their food system for people and the planet. Food is the leading cause of environmental degradation and poor human health and a better understanding of how food system transformation will play out in countries around the world is urgently needed to tackle climate change, restore biodiversity, and improve human health for all persons.
Food systems are a major cause of global problems, but they can also be a leading solution to many of the crises we face today.
WWF is working with diverse stakeholders at the grassroots and global level by building partnerships to transform food systems that connect people and nature, ensure food security and safety, support livelihoods, and sustain species and habitats for future generations. This fellowship aims to deliver on WWF’s long-standing commitment to strengthen capacity in-country by supporting the aspiring and experienced researchers, practitioners and leaders to pursue graduate-level studies (master’s and PhD) geared towards research that cultivates a better understanding of the place-based nature of food systems and transformation. Fellows will also have an opportunity to join the expansive global community of EFN alumni to enable knowledge exchange and collective success.
Focus Areas
The fellowship aims to bridge academic excellence and conservation practice and policy to provide hands-on experiences and learning opportunities in the food systems and transformation journey. The proposed research topics may cover a wide range of the following themes, but examples are not limited to this list:
Human dimensions in food systems and transformation: equitable social and economic benefits to stakeholders, traditional and indigenous knowledge and culture in food systems, gender dimensions, equity, and inclusion in food systems, and community-based transformational leadership linked to food systems.Climate change: climate-resilient food systems, adaptation and mitigation strategies, and diversification of food systems including agroecological practices as nature-positive production.Governance and policy pathways: public policy and governance in food systems, national food safety and security, and nutrition security, food systems in achieving Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans, and global biodiversity goals.Technology and Innovation: role of technology and innovation to tackle food systems challenges, capacity, and data in transforming food systems.Entrepreneurship, finance solutions and mechanisms: access to nutrition and affordable food, markets and investments, incentives, value chain development, sustainable markets, and sustainable practices to enhance desired socio-economic outcomes.

Eligibility

Eligible CountriesBelize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Dem. Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Congo, Suriname, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia.Eligibility CriteriaApplicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible. You must be a citizen and legal permanent resident of an eligible country.You must preferably have at least two years of conservation-related work or research experience.You must have a demonstrated commitment to working in conservation in an eligible country.You must be enrolled in, admitted to, or have applied to a master’s or PhD program anywhere in the world.You must plan to begin your studies no later than January 2026. You must contact EFN if you are a WWF employee, consultant, or previous EFN grant recipient to determine eligibility.Applicants may apply for up to two years of funding and request up to $30,000 per year. The amount of funding approved will vary.