Dear Friends and colleagues, As we enter the holiday season, I am excited to share the highlights from our engagements in the past few months. But, before that, let me once again extend my sincere gratitude to our development partners, the Steering Committee, our program beneficiaries, and all stakeholders for their incredible support during the launch of the AWARD Strategy 2023-2027 on November 9, 2023, in Nairobi Kenya. AWARD is at a pivotal stage of its evolution, with many exciting and promising developments shaping the strategic direction we envision to move toward. The Strategy signals a new dawn, illustrating how we are intensifying our contribution to AR4D and expanding our scope to focus more on agrifood systems, emphasizing gender responsiveness solutions as a critical lever for change. Reflecting on our activities this period, we hosted the annual AWARD Steering Committee meeting in Nairobi. The meeting, leading up to the AWARD strategy launch, served as a platform to connect with our key stakeholders, build on the lessons learned throughout the year, and set the tone for our activities in the coming year. We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Sibonsiso Moyo, Deputy Director General – ILRI, is the new Vice-chairperson of the AWARD Steering Committee. She takes over from Dr. Jemimah Njuki, who has been a long-time dedicated steward of the AWARD family, contributing to the growth of the organization’s scope. Dr. Njuki’s insights and extensive experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment have strengthened AWARD’s programming and approach to gender-responsive AR4D. AWARD recognizes that creating awareness and transforming gender-responsive policies and programs in AR4D requires the support of the highest levels of continental, sub-regional, national, and institutional governance systems. Thus, we were thrilled to join the multistakeholder annual Africa Food Systems Forum held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The summit offered us a broad platform to highlight how gender-responsive agricultural policies and initiatives can effectively bridge gender disparities within agrifood systems. We convened a side event on the role of gender-responsive agricultural policies and programs in closing the gender gaps in agri-food systems. In continuing our commitment to fostering dialogues that shape the narratives around gender responsiveness and amplifying African voices in AR4D, we partnered with stakeholders in other key strategic global convenings and events, including the 2023 annual CGIAR gender research conference in New Delhi, India, the Adaptation Futures Conference in Canada, and the Inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. We also participated in the 10th Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institute (ReNAPRI) Stakeholders Conference held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, which aims to develop a platform to generate shared discussions between research institutions to boost food security and agriculture in Africa. Finally, I would like to welcome the second cohort of our African women in the policy field, the Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellows, 27 young career women scientists, to our Leadership Program for Emerging Women in Science. This initiative addresses the systemic gender disparities persisting in STEM disciplines. Stay updated with our latest news and opportunities by visiting our website and subscribing to our mailing list. Remember to follow us on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages for news updates and online discussions. Happy holidays! Dr. Susan Kaaria, Director, AWARD |