FMC India launches Science Leaders Scholarship Program to promote Agricultural Research

FMC on 8 April 2021 announced that it will launch a multi-year scholarship program to major agricultural schools across eight states in India in April 2021. The FMC Science Leaders Scholarship Program is aimed at creating greater opportunities for aspiring scientists to develop their aptitude in agricultural research.

Every year, 20 scholarships will be awarded to 10 students pursuing PhDs and another 10 students pursuing MSc studies in agricultural sciences. FMC will work directly with the universities to identify their brightest students and groom their keen interest and passion for science and research. 50 percent of the scholarships has been earmarked for female candidates to encourage more women in India to pursue a career in agricultural sciences and research. This is in line with FMC’s ambition to provide equal opportunities for both men and women and create a diverse and inclusive workforce.

“FMC has built a world-class research and development (R&D) organization in-house with more than 800 scientists and associates to guide one of the most robust discovery and development pipelines in the agricultural industry,” said Pramod Thota, President of FMC India. “Undergirding the sustainability of this approach in India is our talent strategy of developing a strong core of local scientists, complemented by a rich diversity of international scientists.”

Under the scholarship program, awardees will also be accorded internship and industry mentorship for their overall development, in addition to getting preference in full-time employment opportunities in the company.

“The R&D scene in India is growing at a remarkable rate and is gaining global recognition. Internships through the FMC Sciences Leaders Scholarship Program will enable students to be at the forefront of this growth, working in a world-class organization surrounded by some of the best minds in this field,” explained Thota. “We hope to, through the FMC scholarships, attract, nurture and expose the most capable students to the R&D landscape in India. We hope to encourage them to pursue rewarding careers in the agricultural industry and eventually contribute back to India’s R&D efforts and position our country as a research and innovation hub.”

As the largest pure-play, innovative crop chemicals company in the world, FMC invests hundreds of millions of dollars each year on research and development to make available customized solutions to help farmers protect their crops against numerous pests. FMC scientists are passionate about discovering new molecules that will become technical winners. As a result, FMC's world-class pipeline of proprietary insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, many featuring new modes of action, was recognized with top honors in the Best R&D Pipeline category at the prestigious Crop Science Forum & Awards in both 2018 and 2020.

FMC hosts a state-of-the-art discovery chemistry centre in Hyderabad, engaged in new molecule discovery for India and the world, as well as an R&D facility in Gujarat that does discovery biology work, including testing of molecules on target pests.