FAO Fellows Programme 2026: Fully Explained Global Research Fellowship Opportunity at the United Nations

Overview

The FAO Fellows Programme 2026 is accepting Expressions of Interest from researchers, PhD candidates, professors and recent graduates who want to contribute to global food security and sustainable development. It is run by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which works in more than 130 countries with 195 Member Nations. It is not a standard internship: fellows work on specialized assignments matched to their academic background, covering research, policy development, technical analysis, innovation and knowledge sharing within multidisciplinary teams.

Assignments last up to 11 months, depending on the hosting office's needs and the Terms of Reference. Fellows may be placed at FAO Headquarters or at regional, sub-regional, country or liaison offices, working under an assigned FAO expert. Topics include sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, food security, fisheries, forestry, livestock, natural resource management, rural transformation, agricultural economics, nutrition, biodiversity and emergency response.

Who can apply

Candidates should hold a Master's degree or PhD, be currently enrolled in a recognized PhD programme, or be a recent graduate, with qualifications from accredited institutions. They need at least two years of relevant research or professional experience, nationality of an FAO Member country, working knowledge of at least one FAO official language (another is an advantage), strong communication skills and the ability to work in multicultural settings. Fellows are expected to show FAO's core competencies: results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Duties follow the Terms of Reference and may include technical research, analytical reports, policy support, data collection and interpretation, research papers, programme implementation support, knowledge products and taking part in meetings. Applications are particularly encouraged from women, nationals of underrepresented Member countries, persons with disabilities, and applicants from Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, Small Island Developing States and Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries.