Generation Challenge Programme

GCP is pleased to announce the addition of a new module to its McClintock Crop Bioinformatics Course. The 1st edition of an electronic manual on marker-assisted backcrossing (MAB), authored by BCY Collard, K Iftekharuddaula, MJ Thomson, A Pamplona and DJ Mackill, covers theoretical and applied MAB in rice. Chapters 1 to 6 have been uploaded to the site, with chapters 7 to 10 to follow shortly.

McClintock Crop Bioinformatics Course is a joint project between GCP and IRRI. For more information on the course, and to view other Learning modules commissioned by GCP's Subprogramme 5, please visit our Capacity-building corner.

Following GCP's 3rd Competitive Call for proposals announced in January this year, 24 concept notes have qualified for the next stage of the selection process, which is full proposals.

Full proposals are to be submitted by 20 June 2008. Winners will announced on 31st July 2008, with projects expected to begin in October 2008.

The 24 concept notes to be developed into full proposals

Details on the 3rd Competitive call and selection process

Following the recent Subprogramme 4 Leader recruitment GCP is delighted to announce Graham McLaren as the successful candidate to head our Bioinformatics and Crop Information Systems Subprogramme (SP4) on a full-time basis.

Graham, who will take on the reins from current SP4 Leader, Theo van Hintum, on 15 September this year, holds a wealth of qualifications and experience in the field of international agricultural research and management. Theo steps down on 30 June to return to Wageningen University full time. Theo has headed SP4 on a half-time basis since its foundation in 2004, during which time he has ably steered the Subprogramme. He leaves behind the legacy of a full-fledged Subprogramme that has evolved from a development phase and is now entering a management phase. Theo will be greatly missed.

With a degree in Mathematics, Statistics and Genetics from the University of Natal, South Africa and an honours degree in Mathematical Statistics  from the University of Cape Town, Graham, a British national,  went on to gain a first-class MSc and PhD in Mathematical Statistics from Simon Fraser University, Canada. He has headed biometrics and bioinformatics departments for the past 20 years. In this capacity, Graham has held leadership positions in rainfed rice breeding, genetic resources management and development of crop information systems. This includes heading the Biometrics and Bioinformatics Unit at IRRI in 1993, before moving on to his current role as head of the IRRI–CIMMYT Crop Research Informatics Laboratory (CRIL).

We very much look forward to having Graham on board later this year. Please join us in welcoming him to the GCP team!

The CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program warmly invites applications from qualified African agricultural women scientists for their innovative and exciting fellowship programme. The programme is open to women agricultural scientists from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

The African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) programme offers specially tailored 2-year career development fellowships, available at three levels: post-Bachelors, post-Masters and post-PhD.

African women from qualifying countries and conducting research in the following disciplines are strongly encouraged to apply: Crop sciences (including horticulture), soil sciences, animal and livestock sciences, plant and animal virology, agroforestry, agricultural economics, aquatic resources and fisheries, food sciences and nutrition, natural resource management and ecology, biodiversity conservation, entomology, agricultural extension education, molecular biology (applied to plant/animal breeding), and water and irrigation management.

Deadline for applications: 18th July 2008.

Details and application forms

Alternatively, request a hard copy of the application forms

For each of the 60 African women scientists selected in this first round (20 at each level), AWARD offers a challenging but rewarding package aimed at increasing her contributions in the service of fighting hunger and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. It includes a series of career development resources designed to:

strengthen science skills;
strengthen leadership skills;
enhance visibility and networking; and
increase opportunities to share newly acquired skills, helping inspire the next generation of women scientists in Africa.