| U.S.                Department of Agriculture                Foreign Agricultural ServiceFood                Industries Division                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       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| ***The Cochran Fellowship        Program***                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                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| Since        1984, the U.S. Congress has made funds available for        training agriculturalists from middle income countries,        emerging markets, and emerging democracies. Training        opportunities are for senior and mid-level specialists        and administrators, from the public and private sectors,        concerned with agricultural trade, agribusiness        development, management, policy, marketing, and        technology transfer. All training occurs in the United        States. The Cochran Fellowship Program has provided        U.S.-based, non-academic training for over 5,500        international participants from 53 countries worldwide.        The legislative authority for the Cochran Fellowship        Program is provided in Section 1543 of the Food,        Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7        U.S.C. 3293) as amended in 1996.***Back                to FID*****Program                Objectives**: To provide high quality training                resulting in knowledge and skills that will:   1.assist                        eligible countries to develop                        agricultural systems necessary to meet                        the food needs of their domestic                        populations 2.strengthen                        and enhance trade linkages between                        eligible countries and agricultural                        interests in the United States. 
**Country                Eligibility**: To be eligible, a country may be                classified as middle-income, an emerging                democracy, and/or an emerging market. In any                case, the country’s principal agricultural                exports must not compete significantly with U.S.                agricultural commodities and products in                international trade.

The                following countries are eligible for 1998 *(click the country for more information)*: 
Cote                        d’Ivoire, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal,                        South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, UgandaChina,                        Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines,                        Thailand, VietnamBrazil,                        Barbados/West Indies, Chile, Colombia,                        Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama,                        Trinidad & Tobago, VenezuelaAlbania,                        Bosnia/Macedonia, Bulgaria, Croatia,                        Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,                        Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia,                        Slovenia, TurkeyArmenia,                        Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakstan,                        Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan,                        Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
**Training                Focus**: The Cochran Program offers short-term,                non-academic training programs. Most range from 2                to 6 weeks, depending on the objectives of the                program. Training is provided via a mix of                technical instruction, practical field                observations, and hands-on experience. The                Cochran Program works closely with USDA agencies,                other government agencies, universities, and U.S.                agricultural trade and market development                associations to provide appropriate training. No                training will be approved which directly enhances                a country's ability to export goods in                competition with the United States. 

**Applicant                Eligibility**: The program is open to the staff                of agribusinesses, government departments,                universities, and other agricultural                organizations. In their own countries, applicants                may be managers, technicians, scientists,                professors, administrators, and/or policy makers.

All                participants must be in good health. The Cochran                Fellowship Program strongly advises a thorough                physical exam prior to traveling to the United                States.

Participants                proficient in the oral and written usage of the                English language are preferred.

**Selection                Procedure**: Applicants are required to                complete an application form in English. This                form can be obtained from the USDA Agricultural                Affairs Office at the U.S. Embassy in the                eligible country (click here for contact                information) or from the Cochran Program office                in Washington, DC. Selection is based upon an                in-country interview by Cochran Program staff or                their designee. Final approval of candidates will                be made by a USDA committee (chaired by the                Cochran Fellowship Program Director) on the basis                of candidates’ qualifications, FAS                Officers’ recommendations, an interview, and                country-specific training needs.

**Training**:                Training will take place as soon as the                appropriate training program can be arranged. The                Cochran Fellowship Program Officer selects                training schedules on the basis of (1) seasonal                variances and growing seasons, (2) trainer                availability, and (3) schedules at training                sites.

**International                Travel**: The Cochran Program does not fund                international travel to and from the                participating country, except in countries of the                Newly Independent States, South Africa, Namibia                and Albania.

**What                We Provide**: For selected participants, the                Cochran Program provides domestic U.S. travel                costs, emergency medical insurance, modest food                and lodging, and, where applicable, training                fees.

**Availability                of Fellowships**: Fellowship recipients have                already been selected for 1998. Applicants can                now apply for 1999 fellowships, and should follow                the guidelines provided in the Selection Process                paragraph above.

For                further information, contact the appropriate                staff person for the country/region in question                (refer to the regional links in the **Country                Eligibility** paragraph above) or Gary Laidig,                Program Leader:

Mr.                        Gary Laidig                        Program Leader, Cochran Fellowship                        Program                        Room 3844-South Building                        Mail Stop 1086                        USDA/FAS/ICD/FID                        Washington, DC 20250-1086

Phone:                        202/690-1734                        Fax: 202/690-0349                        E-mail: [email protected]
 *Last modified: Thursday, July 09, 1998* |