[Wigsat-l] AWARD announcement: 60 new fellows! G&D News No.96, July 2010

[Sophia Huyer]

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AWARD Fellowship highlights critical role of African 
women in agricultural research and development
 
Groundbreaking program announces 2010 fellowship winners
 
A passion fruit pathologist, a catfish breeder, and a pigeon pea researcher are among the 60 outstanding women agricultural scientists from 10 African countries who received a fellowship on July 27 from African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). The fellowship will help these top researchers strengthen their research and leadership skills, and enhance their contributions to poverty alleviation and food security across the continent. 

"Today we debunked the myth that qualified African women researchers 'aren't out there' - an excuse that's often used to justify why women are not hired or promoted equitably within agricultural research institutions, universities, and corporations," said Vicki Wilde, AWARD Director. "We've proven that top-notch female scientists do exist in significant numbers and, equally important, they are conducting critical food security research that is desperately needed to feed future generations. We are recognizing and supporting these women today with an AWARD Fellowship." 

Dr. Ruth Amata, a senior research officer at the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute, is one of this year's 60 fellowship winners. "I am so excited about this great opportunity," said Amata. "My main goal is to help rural women farmers to improve production of their food crops, including sweet potato and cassava, through disease management. This fellowship will help me link up with and learn from other women scientists who are making an impact, and to develop the leadership skills I need." 

Amata was selected from 784 applicants representing 54 institutions in 10 countries; she joins 120 AWARD Fellows currently in the program. In total, 1,681 female scientists from 450 institutions have applied for the prestigious fellowships since AWARD began in 2008. AWARD Fellows benefit from a two-year program focused on mentoring partnerships, science skills, and leadership development. The fellowships are awarded on the basis of intellectual merit, leadership capacity, and the potential of the scientist's research to improve the daily lives of smallholder farmers, especially women.

Click here to read the full story. 
Click here for the 2010 AWARD Fellowship Recipients, including their research topics.
Click here to watch speech by Vicki Wilde, Director, CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program and AWARD 
Click here to watch speech by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Vice President (Policy and Partnerships) for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
 


AWARD is a professional development program that strengthens the research and leadership skills of African women in agricultural science, empowering them to contribute more effectively to poverty alleviation and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. AWARD offers two-year fellowships focused on mentoring partnerships, science skills, and leadership development. African women working in agricultural research and development from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia who have completed a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in selected disciplines are eligible. 

A project of the CGIAR's Gender & Diversity Program, AWARD is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID. For more information, please visit www.awardfellowships.org. 

In 2008, AWARD partnered with Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) to conduct a benchmarking survey of 125 agricultural research and higher education agencies in 15 sub-Saharan African countries. Their report, Female Participation in African Agricultural Research and Higher Education: New Insights, is available at www.asti.cgiar.org/gender-capacity along with a series of country fact sheets.

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Gender & Diversity Program. It offers a selection 
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gender and diversity within the CGIAR and around 
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