Greetings,
Since 1984, the U.S. Congress has made funds available to the Cochran Fellowship Program to provide training for middle-income and emerging market countries. Training opportunities are for senior and mid-level specialists and administrators working in agricultural trade and policy, agribusiness development, management, animal, plant, and food sciences, extension services, agricultural marketing, and many other areas. Individuals selected for Cochran trainings come from both the public and private sectors.

All training occurs in the United States. Training programs are designed and organized in conjunction with U.S. universities, USDA and other government agencies, agribusinesses, and consultants. The Cochran Fellowship Program has provided U.S.-based training for over 18,000 international participants from more than 126 countries worldwide.

[b]APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
The Cochran Fellowship Program is open to the staff of agribusinesses, government departments, universities, and other agricultural organizations. Applicants may be managers, technicians, scientists, specialists, professors, administrators, and/or policy makers.

All participants must be in good physical and mental health, and the Cochran Fellowship Program requires a thorough physical exam by a licensed doctor prior to traveling to the United States. The medical clearance/certificate must be done /obtained from a government-owned hospital (eg. General Hospital, Military Hospital, etc) Participants proficient in the oral and written usage of the English language are preferred.

TRAINING TOPICS FOR NIGERIA IN 2018:

1) Extrusion Techniques for Snack food and feed processing sectors
2) Fruit and Vegetable Post-Harvest Loss Prevention
ACTION
Please note that participants are expected to be able to obtain their J-1 visa to the United States and pay their international airfare to and from the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay for travel, hotel and per diem expenses in the United States during each of the trainings. We hope that this training will be useful in building capacity and important exposures as well as establishing U.S. business contacts to your organization.

Kindly see attached preliminary 2018 CFP Application Form (in Word and Pdf formats). Prospective participants are to submit the completed form by Wednesday, January 31, 2018. We will not be able to accept additional applications after this deadline. Please NOTE only shortlisted applicants will be contacted with participation details[/b].

Applicants may initially submit electronic version of the completed application form online. However, dropping off the completed hardcopy application documents in a properly addressed envelope at the Security gate (of the U.S. Consulate, Victoria Island, Lagos) is the preferred method. Applicants may choose to send the completed form by courier mail. Please address the envelope to: Hezekiah Adediran, Administrative Clerk, FAS (Agric. Section), U.S. Consulate General, Lagos. Applicants forwarding electronic copies should kindly send it thru: Hezekiah.Adediran@fas.usda.gov and copy (cc) to: Uche.Nzeka@usda.gov.

We are looking forward to receiving your completed application form by the indicated due date.

Sincerely,


Uche M. Nzeka
Agricultural Marketing Specialist
USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service
U.S. Consulate General
2, Walter Carrington Crescent
Victoria Island, Lagos-Nigeria

cc lalasticala

Good afternoon!
Is there any info concerning successful candidate for 2018 Cochran training program?
I will appreciate if you can furnish me with the latest information.
Thank you.