AWARD launches new $5million Fellowship program
Photo: AWARD
The Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship, managed by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), is a career development program that targets African women working in agriculture and food systems with interest in policymaking. The Fellowship, announced at the UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021, opened its inaugural two-month call for applications on April 11, 2022.
“Through this Fellowship, we aim to grow a pool of confident and capable African women to lead policy changes to improve African women and men smallholders’ livelihoods,” said Dr. Susan Kaaria, Director, AWARD.
“This is the first time an AWARD initiative will focus squarely on policy, building on our successful initiatives to increase gender-responsive research and level the playing field to benefit women and men.”
Women make up about 46 percent of agricultural employment in sub-Saharan Africa, yet they often face discriminatory national policies. There is growing momentum for gender-responsive research and evidence-based policies. The African Development Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy for Agricultural Transformation on the continent, for instance, emphasizes the need for Africa to pursue policies that will enable the continent to transform its agricultural production.
