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Overview

Established in 2008, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) is a project of the Gender & Diversity Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). It was launched following a successful three-year pilot program in East Africa with support from the Rockefeller Foundation from 2005-2008.

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 Fellows benefit from  a two-year career development program focused on establishing mentoring partnerships, building science skills, and developing leadership capacity. 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.

AWARD currently has 250 African women working in agricultural research and development 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.

AWARD is unique because it:

  • selects women scientists already working closely with the rural poor on tackling poverty and hunger;
  • focuses on career development, adding value to existing academic training programs;
  • nourishes the talent pipeline for agricultural R&D through carefully tailored fellowship packages for women with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees; and
  • engages with African leaders of agricultural R&D, both men and women, to raise awareness and build networks.

AWARD is a US$15 million, five-year project with plans to expand to a second phase starting 2013. It is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID. The CGIAR also contributes financially through cost-sharing and indirect support such as staff salaries.

AWARD currently partners with more than 100 national agricultural research institutions, raising awareness and support for the career development of African women scientists.

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