Applications for the scholarships, which are being run by Kvarøy Arctic in partnership with SAGE (Seafood and Gender Equality), are invited from 13 April.
Two scholarships are available this year, with one dedicated to an applicant from any country globally and a second designated for applicants from countries in Africa. The recipients will each be awarded a $10,000 scholarship and a paid, one-month summer internship on the Kvarøy Arctic farm site in Norway. Recipients are welcomed to continue their internship each year they are in school, and will be considered for employment upon graduation.
Recognised as one of the fastest growing food production systems in the world, the FAO reported that aquaculture employed 20.5 million people in primary production in 2018, of whom 19 percent are women.
“We started this scholarship programme at the beginning of 2020 because we recognise it’s harder for women to break into the farm-level operations of aquaculture globally,” says Kvarøy Arctic CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen. “The pandemic delayed our plans for last year’s recipients to join us on the farm but not our dedication to supporting them in their career development and to continuing this programme.”
According to a UN Study, it is expected that by 2050 half of the world’s population growth will occur in Africa.
“Aquaculture is a burgeoning industry in this part of the world,” says Kvarøy Arctic strategic development officer, Jennifer Bushman. “It’s within the Kvarøy Arctic value system to take a collaborative approach to advancing aquaculture and we’ve chosen to dedicate one of our scholarships to African women who are permanent residents on the continent and who are committed to supporting that region’s development in one of the most efficient and nutritious animal protein sources available.”
The inaugural programme, which was hosted with the James Beard Foundation, received a swell of applications, motivating Kvarøy Arctic to go beyond its plan to award one scholarship. The result was Kvarøy Arctic awarding scholarships to three women in 2020, from Tunisia, South Africa, and the United States.
SAGE founding director, Julie Kuchepatov says: "This scholarship, supporting two undergraduate or graduate students currently immersed in aquaculture studies, reflects Kvaroy Arctic's like-minded mission to SAGE's purpose and is an incredible opportunity for women to immerse themselves in a world-class aquaculture company, experience hands-on training, and receive critical financial support for their studies."
How to apply
Applications and a full list of qualifying criteria will be available via the Kvarøy Arctic website (KvaroyArctic.com) on April 13, 2021. Applicants must be 18+ and submit their completed form with a current CV to scholarships@kvaroyarctic.com by 19:00 (U.S. Pacific Time) on June 22, 2021. Recipients will be contacted on July 13, 2021.
