Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship

Fellows are matched one-on-one with a U.S. mentor scientist at a land-grant university, USDA research facility, or other partner institution based on their specific research interest -- ranging from plant breeding and biotechnology to animal health, food safety systems, agricultural economics, and natural resource management. The fellowship is structured around a concrete research or policy project the fellow carries out jointly with the mentor, so the training is directly applicable to work back home rather than generic coursework.

Unlike a traditional degree scholarship, Borlaug is a short-term, intensive research attachment (typically 6 to 12 weeks) rather than a full academic program, which makes it attractive to working scientists, university faculty, and government researchers who cannot take a year or more away from their positions. Fellows often also attend the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative conference or other relevant professional meetings while in the U.S.

Pakistan has been a regular participant country, with past fellows drawn from institutions such as the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), provincial agriculture departments, and public-sector agricultural universities. Applications are typically coordinated through USDA-FAS's local agricultural attache office or directly online, and selection emphasizes a clear research proposal with a defined U.S. mentor institution.

Because the program targets applied, food-security-relevant research, it is a strong fit for Pakistani agricultural scientists working on wheat rust resistance, water-efficient irrigation, livestock disease, or food safety regulation -- all priority areas for the country's agricultural sector.