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AWARD fellow, Mary Njenga shares her experiences at the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) held from 26 June to 18 July 2009 at the College of Natural Resources, Center for Sustainable Resource Development, University of California, Berkeley, USA.
Mary Njenga is a research officer with Urban Harvest-CIP and a PhD student at the Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, University of Nairobi under the lead supervision of Prof. Nancy Karanja. Mary’s PhD research is also affiliated to World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) under the supervision of Dr. Ramni Jamnadass.
The Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) offers a summer certificate course in Sustainable Environmental Management, co-directed by Dr. Robin Marsh and Dr. David Zilberman. Others in the team were Don Lauro, Elna Brunckhorst, Jade Sasser, Joy Harewood and Aaron Wilson. This year’s course had 34 students from 25 countries. ELP 2009 curriculum covered ecological footprint and sustainability, population, poverty and the environment, and a special open-to-the-public conference on bioeconomy: energy, food and the environment. Based on her work, Mary was among three ELP students invited to make presentations and be a panelist during the Perspectives on Biodiversity: Agriculture and food security session.
Mary’s presentation was on urban agriculture and urban ecosystem services. She highlighted the role of urban agriculture ensuring food security, income and urban resource re-use. In her presentation, she demonstrated how urban agriculture benefits women and youth groups.
Mary making a presentation at the ELP event
This was a timely presentation, since urban agriculture was receiving attention as a productive sector of USA urban food security. On 8 July the Mayor of San Francisco asked all departments to conduct an audit of land under their jurisdiction to create an inventory of land suitable for gardening. http://www.sfgov.org/site/mayor_index.asp?id=107483
Other topics in the course include environmental policy services and marketing, leadership for collaborative change, climate change science and policy and water and sanitation management and governance. The course was very interactive through lecturers, guided crop and livestock field visits, practical work and demonstrations, as well as social events.
Participants receive partial scholarships from ELP, which itself receives support from institutions and individual friends of the program. An event took place during the course where participants joined the program coordinating team for dinner with ELP friends and donors at Sandy and Bernie Magnussen’s home. Dick Beahrs, a key supporter of ELP and a former Board Member of ICRAF was also present at the event. Mary was among the two ELP participants selected to give speeches during this event. She highlighted key lessons learnt that she was taking home, which were:
(i) the importance and approaches on how to integrate and balance social, economic and environmental issues in research and development work
(ii) skills on effective leadership for collaborative change and
(iii) a network of environmental leaders and friends around the world speaking the same language for a sustainable future.
The course coordinating team and lecturers were very warm and the participation of some of them throughout all sessions created a chance for feedback and revisions as the course progressed. Participants had a chance to interact with Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley.
Mary received a full scholarship from ELP, while her travel and living expenses were met by Doyle Foundation, Scotland to whom she is very grateful. ELP participants were invited to apply for a small competitive grant for initiatives to be implemented in collaboration with UC Berkeley in 2010. Mary had a very special homecoming upon learning that she was one of the winners of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) fellowship 2009, offered by Gender and Diversity, a CGIAR program that supports scientific capacity, provides mentorship, leadership and management training. At the same time she won the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) ECOPOLIS graduate fellowship 2009 which will go a long way in supporting her PhD study. To all who contributed to a very productive and exciting one month, Mary says THANK YOU.
* Mary heard about the Beahrs Environmental Leadership program through an announcement distributed through the Gender & Diversity database for women scientists and professionals which was forwarded to her by Dr. Jan Low, the CIP SSA regional leader. To join the database, go to: http://www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org/cast_the_net/default.asp
5 August 2009 was a historic day for the CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program. Our AWARD project for African Women in Agricultural Research and Development met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton!
During Hillary Clinton’s official visit to KARI-Nairobi, AWARD fellows had the opportunity to showcase their pro-poor R&D. In her official speech that followed, Secretary Clinton emphasized the importance of women in agriculture saying, “The AWARD program is a great example. It supports women scientists working to improve farming here in Africa and to fight hunger and poverty. And we need women represented in our laboratories as well as our fields. And I really congratulate the AWARD women for being pioneers in plant science.”
AWARD mentor Dr. Lusike Wasilwa (KARI), with hat on right, discusses the impacts of the AWARD fellowship program with (from left to right) US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, and US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, while AWARD fellow Margaret Mulaa and AWARD Director Vicki Wilde look on
We also had the privilege of meeting US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, whose speech at the same event included, “I’m so proud to be here with the recipients of the AWARD fellowship. They are making a difference in the region. And I and others at USDA look forward to working with them to enhance their success in the future.”
Full transcripts of the official speeches are available at: http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/08/126911.htm
AWARD fellow Sheila Ommeh explains her research on indigenous chicken for disease control to distinguished audience including US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Kenyan Minister of Agriculture William Ruto and Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai
Click here to watch a slideshow on the visit by Secretaries Clinton and Vilsack on You Tube
Activating Women in Research Roles Critical to Achieving US Food Security and Development Goals, said Women to Vilsack, Clinton at Nairobi Event
NAIROBI, KENYA (5 August 2009) — Expressing concern over the lack of women in decision making roles in agricultural development issues in Africa, a group of leading African women scientists urged African leaders and US policymakers to put women at the center of efforts to address chronic hunger and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.
During a visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to research facilities outside Nairobi, the group, comprising both veteran and up-and-coming Kenyan women scientists, argued that, only if women can exert more influence over priorities, policies and programs, will sub-Saharan Africa be able to ward off future food crises and cope effectively with more frequent drought and other impacts of climate change.
“The outstanding achievements of the women of the AWARD program serve as a model and inspiration to women farmers all over Africa,” said US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in his response to AWARD fellows. “As part of President Obama’s international initiative to help millions become food secure, a focus on women farmers will be an important and integral part of this effort.”
Women account for as much as 80 percent of Africa’s food production. But their access to land, to vital services, such as credit, and to improved technologies is extremely limited. They receive only 5 percent of agricultural extension training and 10 percent of rural credit. Furthermore, few agricultural projects are being designed to address women’s specific needs. Only a quarter of its researchers and development experts are women, and only 14 percent of the management positions in agricultural research and development are female.
“Science is crucial to building a pathway out of poverty,” said Sheila Ommeh, a Kenyan scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). “Yet, few young Africans are pursuing careers in agricultural research and science. We need support in expanding that number.”
Measures like the US Global Food Security Act of 2009 are a step in the right direction, the group said. But the impact of this initiative will be limited unless it is reinforced by more targeted efforts to provide Africa’s women farmers with the technical and financial resources they must have to respond to new economic opportunities.
“Investing in women is the smart solution to Africa’s hunger,” said Kenyan horticulture professor Mary Abukutsa-Onyango. “It will help ensure that US development resources yield maximum returns in reducing food insecurity and poverty.” The women called on Clinton and Vilsack to help convey it to African policy makers.
The scientists form part of a program called African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). Coordinated by the Gender & Diversity Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), AWARD provides 60 fellowships yearly to boost the female talent pool supporting Africa’s farmers, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“Agriculture is recognized as an engine for economic growth in Africa. What is less well recognized is that women run this engine. From before dawn to after dusk, they keep all its parts moving,” said Vicki Wilde, director of the Gender & Diversity Program of the CGIAR. “We cannot defeat hunger and poverty in Africa unless women have a strong voice.”
Despite the limitations faced by Africa’s female farmers, recent cases demonstrate how well-crafted policies and programs can achieve major impact by targeting women, based on knowledge of their important role in agricultural production, according to the World Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development.
A CGIAR program aimed at widening the impact of improved bean varieties reached more than 35 million rural people in seven countries of eastern and southern Africa by targeting women, who primarily grow the crop. Bean experts relied on informal channels to which female farmers have ready access, like community and church groups, for distributing small, affordable packets of bean seed. Offering 30 to 50 percent higher yields, the highly nutritious and marketable new beans are helping women bolster household food security and raise their incomes.
Ommeh and Abukutsa-Onyango pointed to further opportunities for smart investment in women farmers, focused on the production of local chicken breeds that are resistant to disease and marketing of indigenous African vegetables. The scientists also stressed that, in order for such initiatives to multiply and succeed, it is vital that African women gain more influence over priorities, policies and programs.
An encouraging sign are recent findings showing the gender gap in Africa’s agricultural science narrowing. Between 2000 and 2008, the proportion of female professional staff in Africa’s agricultural research and higher education grew from 18 to 24 percent, according to a recent study carried out by AWARD and the CGIAR-supported International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
“Even women scientists who have completed their education and entered the work force may still drop out because of obstacles they encounter on the career ladder, so few reach positions of leadership,” said Wilde. “AWARD better enables these women to stay on track by supporting them in their efforts to help farmers in their countries.” Now in its second year, AWARD has provided fellowships to 120 women scientists from 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
AWARD’s focus on strengthening women’s leadership capacity is consistent with more than 15 years of rigorous gender analysis dealing with rural households. For example, the World Development Report 2008 concluded that “women need to be engaged at far more senior levels than is generally the case – in scientific research, in ministries of agriculture and in local governments.”
“To bring about Africa’s long-awaited revolution in smallholder production,” Wilde explained, “agricultural research and extension organizations must recognize the importance of women farmers and of their social networks for diffusing technology and knowledge. They urgently need to recruit and train more female staff, especially in places where cultural norms restrict interaction between males and females.”
Click here to watch interviews on AWARD on CNBC Africa on YouTube
Twenty one AWARD Fellows will soon be traveling across the world, heading to laboratories and research institutions where they will have the chance to learn new skills or to conduct advanced trials in their areas of specialization. They are the recipients of AWARD’s first round of advanced science placements.
The advanced science placement is an optional addition to the AWARD package for African Women in Agricultural Research and Development, granted only following a competitive review of the fellows’ research proposals. All fellows with masters or doctorate degrees have the opportunity to compete. Selection is conducted by the AWARD Steering Committee while the AWARD team has the task of matching the fellows’ specific research goals with the most suitable institutions offering to host them.
“Strengthening the science capacities of African women in agricultural R&D is the backbone of AWARD,” said Margaret Kroma, AWARD Project Manager. “Each institute offers not only its laboratories and field sites, but also a carefully selected supervisor who will guide and support the fellow during her time there. We are grateful that these outstanding institutions recognize the importance of supporting African women scientists.”
Host institutions in this first round of AWARD advanced science placements include: CSIRO, BecA, Novus, UNEP, Parco Technologico Padano, three of South Africa’s top universities and eight of the CGIAR Centers.
Dr. Mahmoud Solh, Director General of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), says, “ICARDA is delighted to welcome our first AWARD Fellow, Dr. Halima Mogesse of the Andassa Livestock Research Center, Ethiopia. Starting in August she has a 9-month attachment at ICARDA’s headquarters in Aleppo, Syria. Dr. Mogesse will work alongside our scientists to acquire skills in molecular genetics to better characterize, conserve and utilize indigenous goat breeds. This will enable her to help select the best goat stocks for breed improvement in Ethiopia. Improved goats deliver better products (e.g. wool, meat, milk, yoghurt, cheese) vital to farm communities, especially among poorer households. ICARDA is grateful to AWARD for this opportunity.”
Most of these science placements are made possible by the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The opportunity to host AWARD Fellows has also attracted exciting new partnerships. Novus is AWARD’s first corporate sponsor. NOVUS International is an animal, health and nutrition company, headquartered in St. Charles, Missouri. Science and technology anchor Novus’s products and Novus’s drive to put social, environmental and economic sustainability as core factors in supporting animal production globally. Novus is providing comprehensive support for a 9-month attachment at its headquarters.
Says Novus CEO Thad Simons, “We’re looking forward to hosting AWARD Fellow, Filomena Dos Anjos from Mozambique. With sustainable productivity being integral to our research, we hope we can assist Filomena in realizing her goals of improving the profitability of poultry in Africa with local feed ingredients, which would contribute to improving the livelihoods of farmers and consumers, alike.”
UNEP is AWARD’s first UN partner. With support from the Government of Spain, UNEP is supporting a 7-month-placement to ICRAF to work in Kenya’s Mau Forest for another AWARD Fellow from Mozambique, Isilda Nhantumbo. Dr. Nhantumbo is studying environmental services accounting and its livelihood impacts for smallholders.
“This is such an important step for AWARD, to have this kind of support from the public and private sectors,” said Vicki Wilde, AWARD Director. “These science placement opportunities will greatly add to the expertise of African women striving to deliver pro-poor R&D. It’s exciting to think ahead about how all of these individual advanced science training opportunities will add up, contributing to Africa’s agricultural R&D. It is hard to express adequately how much we appreciate the partnership and support of everyone involved.
AWARD is proud to announce its first round of winning fellows and partnerships for advanced science training:
Australia Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)
Australia: Stella Ennin (Ghana, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Biological nitrogen fixation (6 months)
Biosciences Eastern & Central Africa (BecA)
Kenya: Dora Chao Kilalo (Kenya, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Molecular characterization and pest diagnostics (6 months)
International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA)
Syria: Halima Hassen Mogesse (Ethiopia, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Characterization of indigenous animal genetic resources (9 months)
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Colombia: Isabel Wagara (Kenya, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Disease management technologies in bean and cowpea systems (9 months)
Uganda: Pamela Paparu (Uganda, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Molecular techniques of snap bean rust characterization (7 months)
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Nigeria: Pamela Paparu (Uganda, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: DNA extraction of soybean rust pathogens (2 months)
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
Kenya: Sónia Maciel (Mozambique, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Nguni cattle ecotypes (4 months)
Kenya: Patricia Aboe (Ghana, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment in livestock research (3 months)
International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
Kenya: Florence Birungi Kyazze (Uganda, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Impact assessment methodologies and frameworks in maize based cropping systems (6 months)
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Philippines: Grace Esi-Kyirem Bolfrey-Arku (Ghana, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Weed management practices (4 months)
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Ghana: Jean Tiyamika Mtethiwa (Malawi, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Socio-technical research in water management (3 months)
Novus International Inc.
USA: Filomena Rosa Dos Anjos (Mozambique, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Profitability of poultry production (9 months)
Parco Tecnologico Padano
Italy: Sheila Cecily Ommeh (Kenya, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Gene expression in chicken (9 months)
University of Free State
South Africa: Sónia Maciel (Mozambique, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Nguni cattle ecotypes (5 months)
University of Pretoria
South Africa: Emma Verah Kambewa (Malawi, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Trade policy, marketing and value chain analyses (6 months)
South Africa: Ivy Drafor (Ghana, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Value chain analysis of rice/maize (6 months)South Africa: Susan Chikagwa-Malunga (Malawi, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Evaluating & improving nutritive value and quality of poor quality forages (6 months)University of Stellenbosch
South Africa: Jesca Njeri Mbaka (Kenya, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Molecular characterization of Phytophtora cinnamon (9 months)
South Africa: Margaret Aanyu (Uganda, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Aquaculture nutrition (6 months)
South Africa: Miriam Judith Otipa (Kenya, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Molecular markers for disease resistance in passion fruits (9 months)
South Africa: Sheila Okoth (Kenya, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Detection and quantitative determination of aflatoxins in foods and feeds (9 months)
South Africa: Victoria Ndolo (Malawi, Post-Masters fellowship)
Research: Nutritional value of moringa leaves (6 months)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
Kenya: Isilda Nhantumbo (Mozambique, Post-Doctoral fellowship)
Research: Natural resources management and policy analysis/Mau Forest (7 months)
Harnessing the Potential of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) announced today itsselection of 61 women scientists who will receive the innovative AWARD Fellowship – a fellowship designed to boost the female talent pool for African agriculture. Chosen from nearly 500 applicants from 10 sub-Saharan African countries, these extraordinary women bring with them scientific and development expertise that has great potential to tackle the food crisis and climate change while improving the daily lives of small-scale farmers.
This is the second year AWARD has identified and honored outstanding African women scientists to receive career-development resources aimed at strengthening their expertise as pro-poor researchers while also positioning them as leaders. They come from 48 different institutions of education and research in the region.
On July 10 2009, the G8 pledged US $20 billion to food security and agricultural development programs. As U.S. President Barack Obama says, “the purpose of aid should be to create the conditions where it’s no longer needed – to help people become self-sufficient.” AWARD is striving to create such conditions by empowering the continent’s women who are best poised to bring about long term solutions.
Right now, 80 percent of Africa’s farmers are women and 60 to 80 percent of Africa’s food is produced by women. “Yet,” according to AWARD Director Vicki Wilde, “only 5 percent of agricultural extension and 10 percent of rural credit reaches women. Part of the reason this longstanding situation hasn’t changed is because women comprise only 25 percent of the agricultural R&D talent pool and very few hold positions of leadership.”
As Ms Wilde explained, “this means there are not enough African women in a position to influence the priorities for agricultural R&D. Much more needs to be done to ensure rural women’s voices and needs are brought into laboratories and field projects.”
AWARD Fellowships grew out of a pilot program of the CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program that was launched by the Rockefeller Foundation. AWARD is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and United States Agency for International Development. It is the only program of its kind.
“The first year we set some high standards but had no idea what was possible,” said Dr Stella Williams, Professor of Agricultural Economics at Obafemi-Awolowo University in Nigeria who serves as Chair of the AWARD Steering Committee. “Now, benchmarked against some original goals, we realize that AWARD is not only meeting a great need, it has produced results – in terms of supporting women but also in terms of contributing to the well-being of rural communities.”
Dr Jolly Kabirizi of Uganda, one of AWARD’s earliest fellows, credits her support from AWARD with new directions in her career. When she recently received a Women and Young Professionals Science Competitions prize for her work with women farmers and fodder crops, she said “AWARD gave me the courage to show the world that it pays off to work in areas not everybody finds attractive. Yet, indigenous vegetables and working with women farmers on alternatives to commercial fodder additives are topics with wide reaching impacts for food security, quality of nutrition and improvement of livelihoods.” Professor Mary Abukutsa Onyango of Kenya, also an early fellowship winner who now serves as an AWARD mentor, received first prize in the same competition for her work on increasing nutrition and income through improved production technologies.
“High food prices are disproportionately affecting poor rural households, and increased droughts, water scarcity, and other effects of climate change are making it even more difficult for small farmers, most of whom are women, to prosper,” said Haven Ley, program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “The AWARD program is empowering African women to address these challenges and help African farmers build better lives for themselves and their families.”
The first act of the fellowship is assigning each recipient a mentor – a more senior professional carefully chosen to match the fellow’s area of expertise and personal goals. In addition, each fellow will attend workshops on science writing, proposal writing and leadership. Fellows also are sponsored to attend science conferences to present their research and to network with others in their field. The most experienced fellows also have the option of competing for the opportunity to spend 3 to 9 months learning advanced techniques at world-class facilities worldwide, including the CGIAR Centers and a number of African universities.
AWARD Fellows not only receive many benefits, they also give back. During the second year of her fellowship, each fellow serves as a mentor to a more junior woman scientist from her institution, ‘sharing forward’ everything she’s learned. In addition she is requested to organize community-level events, serving as a role model to young girls and boys.
“By improving their networks and having our fellows serve as role models to their communities, we are increasing the impact of these career-enhancing fellowships. Even though women have completed their educations and have entered the workforce, they often drop out because of obstacles they reach on the career ladder and few reach positions of leadership,” explained Dr. Agnes Mwang’ombe, Principal of the College for Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi and Vice Chair of the AWARD Steering Committee. “AWARD can help fix this ‘leaky pipeline’ and support women scientists as they support the farmers of their countries.”
Congratulations to the 2009 AWARD Fellowship winners
The AWARD Steering Committee proudly announces its 2009 fellowship recipients:
Post-Doctoral Fellowship winners:
Dr. Abebe, Yewelsew (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Associate Vice-President, Hawassa University, Ethiopia
Dr. Akello, Beatrice (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Research Officer, National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda
Dr. Asuming-Brempong, Stella (Agronomy)
Senior Research Fellow, University of Ghana, Ghana
Dr. Athman, Shahasi Yusuf (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Project Officer, Catholic Relief Services, Kenya
Dr. Chipungu, Patience (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Commodity Team Leader, Chancellor College, Malawi
Dr. Davies, Onome (Fisheries & Aquaculture)
Lecturer, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria
Dr. Edema, Mojisola (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Senior Lecturer, University of Agriculture-Abeokuta, Nigeria
Dr. Hamadina, Elsie (Agronomy)
Lecturer, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Dr. Jorge, Maria Alexandra (Agronomy)
Associate Scientist, Bioversity International/International Livestock Research Institute, Mozambique
Dr. Jolaosho, Alaba (Agronomy)
Associate Professor, University of Agriculture-Abeokuta, Nigeria
Dr. Kabanyoro, Ruth (Agronomy)
Research Officer, National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda
Dr. Karuhanga-Beraho, Monica (Extension Education)
Lecturer, Makerere University, Uganda
Dr. Minja, Ruth (Agronomy)
Principal Agricultural Research Officer, Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute, Tanzania
Dr. Mutayoba, Salome (Animal & Livestock /Veterinary Sciences)
Associate Professor, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania
Dr. Otegbayo, Bolanle (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Lecturer, Bowen University, Nigeria
Post-Master’s Fellowship winners:
Abdulsalam-Saghir, Bola Petra (Extension Education)
Lecturer, Federal University of Agriculture-Abeokuta, Nigeria
Akin-Idowu, Pamela (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Research Officer, National Horticultural Research Institute, Nigeria
Aklilu, Zelekawork Paulos (Agricultural Economics)
Research Officer, Ethiopia Strategy Support Program, Ethiopia
Betiku, Omolola (Animal & Livestock/Veterinary Sciences)
Junior Research Fellow, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Chamba, Rosita Elias Esperanca (Natural Resources Management)
Researcher/Head of Cooperation, Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique, Mozambique
Correia, Alzira de Augusta Dacia (Animal & Livestock/Veterinary Sciences)
Dean/Senior Lecturer, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique
Habwe, Florence (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Tutorial Fellow, Maseno University, Kenya
Kumasi, Tyhra Carolyn (Natural Resources Management)
PhD Student, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Lawal, Justina (Agricultural Economics)
Senior Research Officer, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Nigeria
Menezes, Carla (Animal & Livestock/Veterinary Sciences)
Head of Division of Nutrition, Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique, Mozambique
Mhango, Jarret (Agroforestry)
Dean/Senior Lecturer, Mzuzu University, Malawi
Mofya-Mukuka, Rhoda (Agricultural Economics)
PhD Student, University of Kiel (Germany), Zambia
Molla, Tesfashbamlak (Agronomy)
Assistant Researcher, Werer Agricultural Research Centre-Ethiopia Institute of Agricultural Research, Ethiopia
Msoffe, Fortunata (Natural Resources Management)
Graduate Fellow, University of Edinburgh/International Livestock Research Institute (Kenya), Tanzania
Mulugo, Lucy (Natural Resources Management)
Teaching Assistant, Makerere University, Uganda
Njenga, Mary (Natural Resource Management)
Research Officer, International Potato Center, Kenya
Ogalleh, Sarah Ayeri (Natural Resources Management)
Project Assistant, Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development, Kenya
Otoo, Miriam (Agricultural Economics)
PhD Student/Graduate Research Assistant, Purdue University (USA), Ghana
Oyunga, Mary (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Research Officer, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Tigoni), Kenya
Wanyera, Ruth (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Senior Research Officer, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Njoro), Kenya
Wendiro, Deborah (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Head of Microbiology Department, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, Uganda
Post-Bachelor’s Fellowship winners:
Ardo, Bashir Aishatu (Animal & Livestock/Veterinary Sciences)
Women Instructor, Association pour la Promotion de l’Elevage au Sahel et en Savane (Cameroon), Nigeria
Cherobon, Everlyne (Agricultural Economics)
Project Coordinator, Visionary Leadership & Mentoring Institute, Kenya
Cherunya, Angela (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Researcher, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kitale), Kenya
Chisenga, Lungowe (Agronomy)
Pasture Agronomist, Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust, Zambia
Dhabangi, Margaret (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Research Technician, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, Uganda
Gichangi, Anne (Agricultural Economics)
Research Officer, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Njoro), Kenya
Hamiyanze, Maureen (Extension Education)
Trainer, Pilgrim Wesleyan Church, Zambia
Imbumi, Maryam (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Student, Centre of Excellence for Nutrition-North West University (South Africa), Kenya
Karanja, Lucy (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Laboratory Technician, Centre for Agriculture & Biosciences Institute-Africa, Kenya
Kayitesi, Eugenie (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Student, University of Pretoria (South Africa), Rwanda
Kimani, Esther (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Research Assistant, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Njoro), Kenya
Kithika, Joan (Natural Resources Management)
Consultant, CORE Occupational Solutions, Kenya
Lugwana, Esther Nampeera (Extension Education)
Research Assistant, National Crop Resources Research Institute, Uganda
Matsimbe, Msekiwa (Aquatic Resources & Fisheries)
Program Assistant, Bunda College of Agriculture, Malawi
Mutonyi, Sarah (Agroforestry)
Agroforestry Scientist, National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda
Mwaniki, Phoebe (Agronomy)
Assistant Researcher, Lagrotech Consultants, Kenya
Nakamya, Mary Frances (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Senior Laboratory Technologist, Makerere University, Uganda
Nandokha, Tabeel (Agricultural Engineering)
Research Officer, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Muguga South), Kenya
Numafo, Mavis (Natural Resources Management)
Principal Technical Officer, Crops Research Institute-Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana
Okafor, Lilian (Animal & Livestock/Veterinary Sciences)
Assistant Lecturer, University of Nigeria, Nigeria
Omenwa, Veronica Chineye (Biological Sciences/Biotechnology)
Research Officer, African Regional Aquaculture Centre, Nigeria
Osoniyi, Olayinka (Aquatic Resources & Fisheries)
Post Graduate Student, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
Ruzibuka, Verena (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Intern, Rwanda Bureau of Standard, Rwanda
Tuei, Beatrice (Animal & Livestock/Veterinary Sciences)
District Livestock Officer, Ministry of Livestock Development, Kenya
Wamono, Kakai Esther (Food Sciences & Nutrition)
Research Assistant/Student, Makerere University, Uganda
About AWARD. African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) is a project of the CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program hosted at the World Agroforestry Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. It offers a comprehensive yet flexible career enhancement fellowship program to build up the talent pool of highly skilled African women in agricultural R&D. AWARD has three cornerstones – science capacity, leadership development and mentoring. AWARD is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID. For more information: http://fellowsupdate.wordpress.com/ and www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org
About the CGIAR. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), established in 1971, is a strategic partnership of countries, international and regional organizations and private foundations supporting the work of 15 international agricultural research Centers. In collaboration with national agricultural research systems, civil society and the private sector, the CGIAR fosters sustainable agricultural growth through high-quality science aimed at benefiting the poor through stronger food security, better human nutrition and health, higher incomes and improved management of natural resources. For more information, please visit: www.cgiar.org.
By Chikondi Pasani
Participants in a group photo
Malawian AWARD Fellows conducted a joint role modeling event at the Natural Resources College of Malawi on 8 May 2008. Natural Resources College is a tertiary institution which offers certificate and diploma courses in different fields related to agriculture and natural resources management. The event provided an opportunity for the Fellows to share information with 149 female students on career progression. It was also an opportunity for the girls to interact with their female lecturers and the AWARD Fellows and share different experiences.
Mrs. Erica Maganga –the Principal Secretary II in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security was the guest of honor. She was accompanied by two senior officials from the Ministry, Dr Grace Malindi – the Director of the Extension Department and Mrs. Clodina Chowa- the Deputy Director, Extension Methodologies in the Department of Extension who is also an AWARD mentor.
Key note address
In her key note address, Mrs. Erica Maganga hinted the event came at the right time when there is political will on the importance of to educating girls to fast track gender representation at all levels in addition to promoting women’s participation in decision making. She noted that Malawi has achieved tremendous progress in agricultural production in the last five years, and emphasized that this is mainly attributable to rural women who provide 80% of labor and yet receive only 5% of extension services.
Mrs. Maganga shared four secrets to success:
Fellows share their stories
Fellows shared their profiles indicating their education and professional backgrounds. In sharing their profiles, fellows were able to illuminate their successes in spite of challenges encountered and different experiences in their lives. This was meant to motivate the students not to give up on their goals and visions in the face of challenges. The guests also shared their profiles, highlighting their education and career achievements, inspiring the students and Fellows to follow their footsteps.
To encourage the students to boost their writing skills, confidence and visibility, fellows shared information on the essay contest for young people under the theme “The role of science in building a better world.”
At the end of the function, groups of eager girls surrounded the Fellows, seeking clarification and guidance. The girls wanted to know more about AWARD and how they can make it to university and earn degrees like the Fellows. Some sought more information on the essay competition. It was amazing!
For pictures from this event, click here.
Role Modelling Event at KARI-TRC
Sheila with her mentee Cecilia
Sheila Ommeh, a Kenyan AWARD Fellow organized and facilitated a role modeling event at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute – Trypanosomiasis Research Centre (KARI-TRC) for students of Muguga wa Gatonya Secondary School. Students who excelled in Agriculture and Biology were selected to attend the role-modelling event. The students did not only hear about careers in agricultural research, they were also given a guided tour of the research Center by Joanna Auma, the Head of the Biochemistry Department. Auma pointed out that a career in science and agriculture was a smart choice and full of opportunities.
Dr. Johnson Ouma, Sheila’s Mentor, demystified the notion that science was difficult and only for boys. While sharing her personal experiences, Dr Grace Mulira, the Centre Director, urged the girls to have a vision. Dr. Mulira expressed her support for mentorship saying it should be institutionalized. She also advised the students to choose appropriate mentors to guide and advise them.
Participants were encouraged to have an open mind when thinking about agriculture. Sheila urged them to avoid limiting their thinking of Agriculture to “traditional sense of Agriculture is only farming.” They were informed about the vast opportunities that exist in the field of Agriculture.
Working towards a career in Agriculture
The students were encouraged to work hard and excel in Agriculture and/or sciences as this would put them in good stead as they prepared to get into the field of agriculture. By the end of the day, the students had lots of questions which Sheila and her Junior Mentee, Cecilia Rumberia answered. “We were both excited. It was a fulfilling experience for us,” says Sheila.
After the role modeling event, most of the girls’ had changed their views on agriculture. It is our hope that the students will share the knowledge gained from the event with their peers at school.
To view Sheila’s presentation made at the role modelling event, click here.
For pictures from the role modelling event at KARI-TRC, click here.
Meet Richard Edema, mentor to Pamela Paparu
Dr. Richard Edema
Richard Edema is one of AWARD’s 33 male mentors. He joined AWARD’s mentorship program because he saw a huge potential in women as research scientists. “All my PhD graduates to date are women and they were brilliant!” Through his formal mentorship interactions with graduate students, he also was able to see the “fragility of their situation; trying to be mothers; in relationships and jobs.” He realized that women researchers needed support to overcome the challenges they face. On receiving AWARD’s invitation to become a mentor, Richard goggled the program. “Minutes later I knew this was a good program that can help women scientists develop into excellent scientists.” He then signed up as a mentor.
Formal mentoring approach
At first, Richard felt a bit uncomfortable “being in the middle of a women’s thing.” However, this discomfiture was short-lived. For the university lecturer, mentoring was not a new thing, much as AWARD is his first formal mentoring experience. “I have a great relationship with my mentee,” he says. “I think AWARD just made my role formal and richer because its programs are well thought out and designed.” He is also happy to share that he has learnt a lot from the Mentoring Orientation Workshops (MOWs), tips that he has incorporated in his daily work as a supervisor and mentor. “I think I understand my female students better,” he adds. At the MOW, Richard felt he also received mentorship support, not to mention the benefit of having additional resources to attend a scientific conference with the help of AWARD.
The plant virologist is a senior lecturer at Makerere University. He received his PhD in Plant Pathology from Ohio State University in the United States in 2001. Dr. Edema has used is knowledge to “initiate and participate in a number of research projects to better understand and/or describe causative agents of important diseases that affect our crops, such as cassava, maize, cowpea, bean and coffee.” In the course of his work, he has designed and conducted research to find solutions to these diseases. “Sometimes this includes very close collaboration with plant breeders to develop more resilient crops,” he says hinting at the value of collaborative research.
Richard is also involved in regional and international capacity building programs targeting the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in Uganda and other countries emerging from conflict. He coordinates the AGRA and SCARDA M.Sc. training programs in Plant Breeding and Seed Systems at Makerere University, not to mention supervising Msc and PhD students. “Since 2002, 15 M.Sc. and three Ph.D. students have graduated under my watch,” he says.
Even as he does his part in contributing to the developing women in agricultural research and development, Richard feels it is not enough. He also urges those who have benefited from AWARD to act as ambassadors for the program. He only wishes that there was a similar program for men. “Helping male colleagues through the mentorship program might help make life easier for female scientists,” he says.
Conventional media, radio and video, are powerful, accessible and relevant forces of agricultural innovation and transformation in Africa than usually considered, a study published in this week’s issue of the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability reveals.
The study undertaken by the Africa Rice Center, WARDA and Benin’s University of Abomey however finds that the power of radio and video programming is not adequately recognized and accorded due attention by Africa’s policy-makers, stifling its potential to unleash farmer innovations.
“Farmers’ innovations are often shaped by capital limitations and mainly rely on locally available resources, of which knowledge is a key one,” says Paul Van Mele, a scientist at the Africa Rice Center.
“Video proved a powerful, low-cost medium for farmer-to-farmer extension and to expose rural communities to new ideas and practices.”
Titled The power of video to trigger innovation: rice processing in central Benin, the study examined the impacts of educational videos featuring early-adopting farmers demonstrating the use of new technologies and techniques.
The study found that when women watched videos featuring fellow farmers demonstrating new techniques, they showed better learning and understanding of the technology and creatively applied its central ideas.Innovation levels of 72 percent were recorded in villages where women were introduced to improved rice processing techniques by videos compared to 19 percent among farmers who had attended training workshops.
When women who had attended training workshops watched the videos, the innovations recorded shot up to 92 percent. Indeed, the study found that watching videos spurred greater innovation than did conventional farmer training techniques.
Notably high levels of creativity (67 percent) were recorded among women who did not have access to the rice processing technology featured in the video.
“The adaptations by Benin women to improve rice processing after having watched the video illustrate the power of video to quickly stimulate creativity among rural people, who are often seen as much more passive technology consumers,” says Van Mele.
“Besides being more powerful, video was also able to reach more people than conventional training workshops.”Drawing lessons from a similar rural learning initiative undertaken in Bangladesh, the Africa Rice Center with a wide range of partners is using local language videos to train farmers on various facets of rice production and processing in Benin, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal, among other countries.
By last year, the rice videos had been translated into 20 African languages, and were being used by more than 400 community-based organizations across Africa to strengthen their own capacity in rice technologies.
The videos, which are disseminated through mobile cinema vans or local organizations, have been viewed by about 130,000 farmers across Africa unleashing their creativity, reaching thrice as many farmers as do face-to-face farmer training workshops.
Partner organizations in various countries are combining the videos with radio programming to reinforce the lessons and knowledge.
In Guinea, one radio station, Radio Guinée Maritime has aired interviews with farmers involved in this program reaching some 800,000 listeners, an experience which has been replicated in Gambia, Nigeria and the refugees of Northern Uganda.
In order to effectively capitalize on the potential of radio and video technologies in Africa, the study recommends broadening the common outlook on innovations beyond the traditional research and extension systems to include localized farmer innovations too.
“Local innovations better reflect the realities of rural people than do outside techniques,” say the study authors.
Source: http://africasciencenews.org/
Twelve African Countries Deliver National Rice Development Strategies with Support from the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD)
Tokyo, Japan (3 June 2009) – One year almost to the day after the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) jointly launched a major initiative aimed at doubling Africa’s rice production by 2018, AGRA and JICA are entering into a long-term pact that builds on the strengths of each organization to reach their ambitious goal.
The pact will be formalized at the second General Meeting of the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD), which will be held in Tokyo on June 3-4, 2009. Mr. Kofi Annan, Chair of the AGRA Board of Directors, will attend the signing ceremony, along with Madam Sadako Ogata, President of JICA. Dr. Namanga Ngongi, Agra’s President, and Mr. Kenzo Oshima, Senior Vice President of JICA will sign the agreement on behalf of their organizations.
“In its first year, CARD has been instrumental in nurturing the development of national strategies to increase the productivity and production of rice,” says Dr. Ngongi. “Deepening cooperation between AGRA and JICA is an important step toward significantly boosting rice production by Africa’s smallholder farmers, which will reduce costly food imports and move the continent further toward food security.”
CARD is a consultative group of major donors, rice research organizations and a number of other development entities, which together are working with 21 African countries to strengthen their ability to produce this valuable commodity. Current CARD members include AGRA, FAO, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), JICA, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), NEPAD and the Africa Rice Center (WARDA). The main target of the CARD initiative is reflected in the Yokohama Action Plan, which was one of the main documents adopted at the recent TICAD IV (The Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development) held in Yokohama, May 2008. Since its inception one year ago, CARD has focused on supporting the efforts of 12 countries to develop more effective National Rice Development Strategies. This “first wave” of African rice producing nations includes Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda.
With the support of the CARD Secretariat, which is hosted by AGRA, all 12 counties have produced the first versions of their strategies. During the CARD meeting, Coalition members will discuss how to best support the national plans while refining them through policy dialogues. In the coming year, CARD will work on similar strategies with the “second wave” of rice-producing countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Rwanda, The Gambia and Togo).
“Our partnership with AGRA moves JICA further along its critical path of engagement in agricultural development in Africa,” says Mr. Oshima. “We have a rich history of national, regional and international partnerships for change, and CARD’s effectiveness thus far bears witness to the potential of our collaboration. Rice specialists in Japan – indeed, from all over Asia and other parts of the world – are eager to bring their expertise to bear on transforming Africa’s rice sector.”
Currently, the demand for rice in sub-Saharan Africa is double the rate of population growth and, at about 5.8% per year, consumption is growing faster than that of any other major staple food. Across Africa, local production has been unable to keep up with the rate of increase in demand. In the past 50 years, rice production in Africa has increased to 14.60 million tons (from about 3.14 million tons), much of that increase based on expanding the area devoted to the crop. During the same five decades, Asia has increased rice production on a much grander scale, to about 570 million tons (up from some 200 million tons), with most of this coming from higher yields on existing farmland. “Rice is quickly becoming a major staple food for urban and rural consumers alike,” says Mr. Hiroshi Hiraoka, Coordinator of the CARD Secretariat. “African production increases, which have been achieved mainly by expanding the area devoted to rice, are not keeping pace with demand.” CARD aims to improve African rice productivity by taking a holistic approach – promoting change both on small-scale farms (for example the increased use of modern inputs and farming practices), as well as off farm by advocating post-harvest value chain improvements, increasing access to markets for small producers, and promoting enabling policies. “Our goal is to double Africa’s rice production in 10 years,” Mr. Hiraoka says, “To accomplish this, specialists from the rice-producing countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world need to work together, systematically sharing their experiences and knowledge about how to promote rice in Africa. Making such cooperation a reality is the purpose behind the long-term agreement being signed by JICA and AGRA.”
The MoU between JICA and AGRA will strengthen their cooperation to promote rice development in Africa and to increase the flow of support to African institutions engaged in this work – all toward the realization of achieving an African Green Revolution. The rice production situation in Africa mirrors the general food production challenges facing the continent – as well as the opportunities for overcoming them. AGRA’s goal is to transform smallholder agriculture through: development and widespread use of modern farming technologies and methods; promotion of appropriate policy environments; large-scale changes in soil management; and better access to local, national and regional markets. Achieving that transformation will require a large number of innovative and dynamic partnerships such as that with JICA, and increased financial support for African agriculture. The JICA/AGRA pact is a long-term commitment and represents for both organizations a determination to revolutionize rice production in Africa. This is a critical step toward improving food security and reducing poverty for millions of Africans.
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About the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA programs develop practical solutions to significantly boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while safeguarding the environment. AGRA advocates for policies that support its work across all key aspects of the African agricultural “value chain”—from seeds, soil health, and water to markets and agricultural education. Kofi A. Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, chairs AGRA’s Board. AGRA’s President is Dr. A. Namanga Ngongi, former Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme. With initial support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AGRA maintains offices in Nairobi, Kenya and Accra, Ghana. For more information, go to www.agra-alliance.org.
About Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is an independent administrative institution under the law concerning the Independent Administrative Institution Japan International Cooperation Agency (Law No. 136, 2002), JICA aims to contribute to the promotion of international cooperation as well as the sound development of Japanese and global economy by supporting the socioeconomic development, recovery or economic stability of developing regions. With over 10 billion US dollars of available financial resources, JICA is the world’s largest bilateral development organizations working in around 150 countries, providing comprehensive assistance to developing countries, such as technical cooperation, concessional loan and grant assistance. JICA is led by the president, Sadako Ogata, the former the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. JICA’s Senior Vice President is Mr. Kenzo Oshima, the former Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations. JICA Headquarters are located in Tokyo, Japan and it has 17 other offices in Japan and about 100 offices overseas. For further information, go to www.jica.go.jp/english/
