Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FAS 10620 0762 10 21 0001
The Scientific Exchanges Program (SEP) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service initiative designed to build practical, long-term research and professional connections between the United States and agricultural institutions in eligible countries. The core mechanism is a fellowship model: U.S.-based host institutions bring visiting agricultural professionals to their campuses and research facilities for hands-on training, applied research, and structured collaboration. The broader aim is to strengthen agricultural science capacity overseas in ways that translate into improved productivity, stronger food security, and economic growth, while also supporting USDA priorities related to agricultural innovation and global trade. SEP emphasizes that these exchanges should not be one-off trainings; they are meant to create durable linkages among fellows, their home institutions, U.S. mentors, and the wider international agricultural research community.
USDA planned to make up to 11 awards under this opportunity. One award (Award 1) is specifically centered on food safety topics that directly affect international agricultural trade, especially sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT). This track is aimed at West Africa and is framed as an effort to improve national and regional food safety systems by giving fellows real-world research experiences on food safety challenges that countries face when they try to access or expand export markets. Applicants under this award are encouraged to integrate Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) concepts where they can strengthen food safety outcomes. The program is also designed as a cohort experience: while each fellow should have an individual faculty mentor for one-on-one guidance, USDA expects the fellows to move through the program together as a group to share ideas, compare approaches, and build intraregional coordination. A key policy dimension is built in as well, with an expectation that fellows, through their research and engagement, will reinforce the relevance of international standard-setting bodies such as Codex Alimentarius, the International Plant Protection Convention, and the World Organization for Animal Health for policymakers shaping food safety regimes in the region. After an organization is selected for funding, it must identify and nominate proposed fellows for USDA review and final concurrence, and it must develop a detailed project workplan.
The remaining awards (Awards 2 through 11, up to 10 awards) focus on Climate Smart Agriculture and food systems research across a broader set of regions, including countries in Africa, Asia, Central America, Latin America, and the Middle East. In this context, CSA is described as an integrated approach to managing whole landscapes (cropland, livestock, forests, and fisheries) in ways that respond to the combined pressures of food insecurity and accelerating climate change. The “food systems” angle extends beyond the farm to include climate-related improvements across the production and supply chain, including work on food loss and waste, sustainable materials management, and strengthening local and regional markets. USDA is looking for proposals that meaningfully incorporate CSA into research and training agendas relevant to these regions.
Across all awards, USDA expects program designs to go beyond technical research skills and intentionally build leadership and science communication capacity. The idea is that fellows should return home better able to explain evidence, advocate for sound policy, and communicate effectively with peers, decision-makers, and the public. Programs are also expected to align with the strategic goals of the fellows, the host institutions, and USDA, and to support research agendas that can produce tangible impacts on international trade, food security, and economic growth in emerging economies. Collaboration is a strong theme throughout, including engagement with U.S. stakeholders such as relevant regulatory agencies and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, reflecting the program’s trade-facing and policy-aware orientation. USDA also signals that learning should be multiplied: fellows and host institutions are encouraged to share results and lessons through teaching, extension, and outreach, and to maintain professional relationships after the fellowship ends.
In terms of where and how the work happens, the host organization is expected to place fellows at a U.S. campus-based research facility, supplemented by orienting visits to U.S. government regulatory agencies in Washington, DC (or other appropriate locations) and field visits when useful. The program structure should include time at USDA in Washington, DC both at the beginning and end of the fellowship period so fellows can brief and debrief with key USDA staff. Awardees are expected to coordinate closely with the USDA program manager and to incorporate virtual meetings, outreach, and other engagement activities as part of the program’s ongoing collaboration. An additional reciprocity component is required: each fellow’s U.S. mentor is expected to travel to the fellow’s home institution for up to two weeks, reinforcing the two-way nature of the partnership and helping embed the fellowship outcomes into the fellow’s institutional setting.
Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA FAS 10620 0762 10 21 0001) under CFDA 10.620, managed by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities as clarified in the full announcement. The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $700,000 and an anticipated total of 11 awards. The original closing date for applications was June 10, 2021 at 11:59 PM EDT.Apply for USDA FAS 10620 0762 10 21 0001
- The Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Scientific Exchanges Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.620.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 16, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 10, 2021 June 10, 2021 at 1159PM EDT. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $700,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 11 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Scientific Exchanges Program (SEP) - Grant Opportunity FAQs
1) What is the Scientific Exchanges Program (SEP)?
The Scientific Exchanges Program (SEP) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) initiative that supports fellowship-style exchanges to build practical, long-term research and professional connections between U.S. host institutions and agricultural institutions in eligible countries. The program emphasizes hands-on training, applied research, and structured collaboration that continues beyond a single visit.
2) What is the main purpose of SEP?
SEP aims to strengthen agricultural science capacity in eligible countries in ways that contribute to improved productivity, stronger food security, and economic growth. It also supports USDA priorities tied to agricultural innovation and global trade by building durable institutional linkages among fellows, their home institutions, U.S. mentors, and the broader international agricultural research community.
3) How does SEP work in practice?
SEP uses a fellowship model where U.S.-based host institutions bring visiting agricultural professionals (fellows) to U.S. campuses and research facilities for hands-on training, applied research, and structured collaboration. Programs are expected to include mentoring, cohort-based learning, engagement with relevant U.S. stakeholders, and continued collaboration through virtual meetings and outreach.
4) How many awards did USDA plan to make under this opportunity?
USDA planned to make up to 11 awards under this funding opportunity.
5) What are the two main tracks of awards described in the opportunity?
The opportunity describes:
- Award 1: A food safety-focused award tied to international agricultural trade, especially sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT), aimed at West Africa.
- Awards 2 through 11: Up to 10 awards focused on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and food systems research across multiple regions (including countries in Africa, Asia, Central America, Latin America, and the Middle East).
6) What topics does Award 1 focus on?
Award 1 centers on food safety topics that directly affect international agricultural trade, with emphasis on SPS measures and TBT. It is framed around improving national and regional food safety systems in West Africa by giving fellows real-world research experiences related to food safety challenges that countries face when seeking to access or expand export markets.
7) Does Award 1 include Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) concepts?
Applicants under Award 1 are encouraged to integrate Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) concepts where they can strengthen food safety outcomes.
8) What regions are covered by Awards 2 through 11?
Awards 2 through 11 (up to 10 awards) focus on CSA and food systems research across a broader set of regions, including countries in Africa, Asia, Central America, Latin America, and the Middle East.
9) How does SEP define Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in this opportunity?
CSA is described as an integrated approach to managing whole landscapes (cropland, livestock, forests, and fisheries) in ways that address the combined pressures of food insecurity and accelerating climate change.
10) What does the "food systems" research angle include?
The food systems angle goes beyond on-farm work to include climate-related improvements across the production and supply chain. The opportunity highlights areas such as food loss and waste, sustainable materials management, and strengthening local and regional markets.
11) Are these exchanges intended to be short-term trainings?
No. SEP emphasizes that exchanges should not be one-off trainings. The design expectation is for durable linkages and long-term research and professional connections that continue after the fellowship ends.
12) Is the program intended to operate as a cohort?
Yes. USDA describes the program as a cohort experience, expecting fellows to move through the program together as a group to share ideas, compare approaches, and build intraregional coordination. At the same time, each fellow should have an individual faculty mentor for one-on-one guidance.
13) What policy or standards-related elements are expected, especially under Award 1?
Under Award 1, there is an expectation that fellows will reinforce the relevance of international standard-setting bodies for policymakers shaping food safety regimes. The opportunity specifically references Codex Alimentarius, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
14) What types of skills should proposals build beyond technical research skills?
Across all awards, USDA expects program designs to intentionally build leadership and science communication capacity. Fellows are expected to return home better able to explain evidence, advocate for sound policy, and communicate effectively with peers, decision-makers, and the public.
15) What types of collaboration and stakeholder engagement does SEP emphasize?
Collaboration is a central theme. The opportunity highlights engagement with U.S. stakeholders such as relevant regulatory agencies and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, reflecting a trade-facing and policy-aware orientation. Ongoing collaboration is also supported through virtual meetings, outreach, and continued engagement after the fellowship.
16) Where are fellows expected to be placed during the fellowship?
The host organization is expected to place fellows at a U.S. campus-based research facility. The program can be supplemented by orienting visits to U.S. government regulatory agencies in Washington, DC (or other appropriate locations), and field visits when useful.
17) Is time in Washington, DC required as part of the fellowship structure?
Yes. The opportunity states that the program structure should include time at USDA in Washington, DC both at the beginning and end of the fellowship period so fellows can brief and debrief with key USDA staff.
18) What is the reciprocity component mentioned in the opportunity?
A reciprocity component is required: each fellow's U.S. mentor is expected to travel to the fellow's home institution for up to two weeks. This is meant to reinforce the two-way partnership and help embed fellowship outcomes into the fellow's institutional setting.
19) When are fellows selected and who approves them?
After an organization is selected for funding, it must identify and nominate proposed fellows for USDA review and final concurrence.
20) What planning or documentation is required after selection for funding?
After selection, the organization must develop a detailed project workplan and is expected to coordinate closely with the USDA program manager, including incorporating virtual meetings, outreach, and other engagement activities.
21) What types of institutions were eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities as clarified in the full announcement.
22) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this SEP opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA FAS 10620 0762 10 21 0001.
23) What CFDA number is associated with this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is under CFDA 10.620.
24) Which USDA office managed this opportunity?
This opportunity was managed by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
25) What was the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed was $700,000.
26) What was the original application deadline?
The original closing date for applications was June 10, 2021 at 11:59 PM EDT.
27) How are results and learning expected to be shared?
USDA encourages fellows and host institutions to multiply learning by sharing results and lessons through teaching, extension, and outreach, and by maintaining professional relationships after the fellowship ends.
28) What outcomes does USDA expect SEP-supported research and training to contribute to?
Programs are expected to support research agendas that can produce tangible impacts on international trade, food security, and economic growth in emerging economies, while aligning with the strategic goals of fellows, host institutions, and USDA.
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