Call for Application: Research Grant Support for Two Master’s Students (Nepal)
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The Caritas Nepal, under the Nepal Livelihoods and Resilience Program – Phase II (NLRP II), is pleased to invite applications from master’s level students and researchers for research grant support.
The NLRP II program’s focus on food security and climate change. This initiative aims to promote academic research that directly contributes to improving the livelihoods and resilience of smallholder farming communities in Nepal. Assessment of Farmers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) on Pesticide Use in Banana Farming, including testing pesticide residues in banana produce; Food Safety in Vegetable Farming: -Piloting or development of low cost testing kits for detecting pesticide residues in vegetables – focusing on affordability, usability, and scalability for farmers and local markets. -Study pesticide residue in vegetables, methods to reduce the residue, and their impact on consumer health and market access; Evaluating the effectiveness and improvement potential of Bokashi manure versus existing organic manures; Testing low cost postharvest technologies at the household level to reduce losses in vegetables.
The program runs from July 2023 to June 2028 and is implemented across ten target locations in six provinces of Nepal. With a strong focus on integrating academic research with on-the-ground realities, it aims to foster innovation, sustainability, and scalable solutions for vulnerable farming households.
Each selected student will receive a grant of NRs 150,000 inclusive of tax, to be used for expenses such as field travel, accommodation, data collection, advisor visits, stationery, data tools, printing, and dissemination workshops. The thesis draft must be submitted by June 2026 under a formal agreement with Caritas Nepal.
Eligibility is open to master’s students enrolled in universities across Nepal. Applicants will be evaluated on methodology, cost estimate and planning, location of study, subject relevance, and the potential for replicability and scaling up. Strong academic performance, readiness to conduct field-based primary research, and a recommendation letter from a supervisor or department head are essential.
Applications must include a research proposal of up to ten pages with timeline and budget, curriculum vitae, motivation letter, and recommendation letter. The deadline for submission is September 21, 2025.
