Rising to the Challenge! 2015 AWARD Fellowship Winners Set to Impact Smallholders in the Year of Women’s Empowerment
NAIROBI, Kenya, February 17, 2015/ -- “Agricultural
research and development in Mozambique is an important tool for
increasing production, and consequently reducing household malnutrition
and poverty, particularly in children and women,” says Olivia Narciso
Pedro, a lecturer and researcher at the Eduardo Mondlane University in
Maputo, Mozambique. “My vision for agriculture-led growth in Mozambique
is to design alternatives to mitigate loss of genetic diversity, and
ensure conservation of species, while improving household food
security.”
Download the AWARD 2015 Fellowship Laureates Official List: http://www.apo-mail.org/150217aw
Pedro
is one of 70 outstanding African women agricultural scientists to have
been awarded a 2015 fellowship from African Women in Agricultural
Research and Development (AWARD) (http://www.awardfellowships.org). The winners have been publicly announced this week in Nairobi, Kenya, where they have convened for an orientation workshop.
“I
first found out about the AWARD Fellowship in 2009 from my colleague
who worked at the veterinary faculty, and was an AWARD Fellow. Late last
year when I received the notification that I had won, I felt
overwhelmed, happy and excited to be part of such an outstanding network
of African women scientists,” says Pedro.
This
years’ laureates were selected from among an impressive cadre of 1,109
applicants from 11 African countries. These scientists and researchers,
will benefit from AWARD’s two-year career-development program that is
focused on accelerating agricultural gains by strengthening their
research and leadership skills. AWARD Fellowships are granted on the
basis of each scientist’s intellectual merit, leadership capacity, and
the potential of her work to improve the livelihoods of African
smallholder farmers, most of whom are women.
AWARD
Fellows share a common vision: they want to translate their research
and knowledge into tangible action, tangible action that will benefit
smallholder farmers—especially laudable in 2015, the African Union’s
Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda
2063.
“We
have a long journey ahead with women still underrepresented in
agricultural research and higher education in Africa. AWARD is at the
forefront, working to increase the numbers of professional women at the
decision making table in Agricultural Research and Development (ARD)
across Africa. We are committed to Africa's prosperity with this year's
cohort of AWARD fellows joining our vibrant Pan- African community that
is building the capacity of Africa’s women researchers to contribute to
the continent’s food security,” says AWARD Director, Wanjiru
Kamau-Rutenberg. “We congratulate the 2015 winners of the AWARD
Fellowship. In this special year, where empowerment of women in all
areas of development is being highlighted by the African Union, we are
proud of the impact these women are making in their different areas, and
the contribution that the fellowship will make in fast-tracking their
innovation,” continues Dr. Kamau-Rutenberg.
According
to an AWARD benchmarking study, the majority of those who produce,
process, and market Africa’s food are women, but only one in four
agricultural researchers is female. Even fewer—one in seven—hold
leadership positions in African agricultural research institutions.
In
order for African agriculture to become an engine for prosperity and
well-being, it is critical to cultivate a new generation of African
leaders in food and agriculture, including technically competent,
confident, and influential women.
This
year’s AWARD laureates represent a wide range of agricultural
disciplines and cutting-edge research—from evaluating aquatic pollution,
climate smart agricultural practices, aflatoxin mitigation, capacity
building and empowerment of rural women, to biotechnology.
Researcher
Rashida Abdul-Ganiyu screens plant samples for desirable traits using
molecular biology techniques to help facilitate the development of
improved crop varieties for farmers. “My vision is to conduct research
that directly solves problems for farmers in order to improve their
livelihoods. Since agriculture has the potential, as a positive driver
of food security, poverty reduction, environmental sustainability and
economic opportunity for Ghanaians, strong Agricultural research must be
responsive to farmer’s needs. Agricultural research should also make
use of cutting-edge technology like biotechnology for improved ARD” says
the research technician at CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute
(SARI), Ghana.
Out
of the 70 winners of this year’s fellowship, 10 had prior experience
within the AWARD Fellowship as junior mentees to AWARD Fellows, with
four having applied for the fellowship at least once before:
Ngozi
Edoh, a Research Scientist at the National Root Crops Research
Institute Umudike in Ghana is currently focused on biosafety research
and genetic improvement of root and tuber crops.
Belinda
Kaninga, a soil scientist from Zambia on the other hand is developing
appropriate soil fertility technologies in order to improve agricultural
production and income for smallscale farmers. Kaninga is an
Agricultural Research Officer at the Zambia Agriculture Research
institute.
Crop
scientist Catherine Nwokwu is currently a post-graduate student at
Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Her vision for agricultural research
and development is to develop at least five high yielding and drought
tolerant rice varieties.
Juliana
Amaka Ugwu, an entomologist, is also a former AWARD junior mentee. She
is on a mission to develop ecological and environmentally friendly
approaches to sustainable production of fruits and vegetables in
Nigeria. Ugwu is currently a lecturer at the Forestry Research Institute
of Nigeria.
Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of AWARD 2015 Fellowship.
For information, please contact:
Judith Olang, Communications Assistant
About AWARD
AWARD (http://www.awardfellowships.org)
is a career-development program that equips top women agricultural
scientists across sub-Saharan Africa to accelerate agricultural gains by
strengthening their research and leadership skills, through tailored
fellowships. AWARD Fellows benefit from a two-year career-development
program focused on fostering mentoring partnerships, building science
skills, and developing leadership capacity. African women working in ARD
from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria,
Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia who have completed a bachelor’s,
master’s, or doctoral degree in selected disciplines are eligible. For
more information, please visit www.awardfellowships.org.
SOURCE
AWARD 2015 Fellowship
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