NEWS
July 4-8, 2016—Lilongwe, Malawi.
AWARD, in partnership with RUFORUM, is holding a five-day leadership program titled “Leadership Program for Agricultural Research and Development (LEPARD)” targeting individuals from the Agricultural Research and Development (ARD) Sector.
“There is need to increase the supply of quality ARD researchers and leaders, and to nourish a supportive environment for gender-responsive ARD,” explains Pauline Bomett, AWARD Senior Manager, Leadership and Training. “AWARD offers capacity-building programs for these two groups with a view to building capacity for change from the ‘inside’.”
This intensive course is designed to strengthen agricultural research, and development institutions with the capacity to provide role model leadership based on core values of inclusiveness, performance, transparency, integrity, and efficiency. Having both men and women participants working in agricultural research and development, at various career levels, this course will equip individuals to appreciate the difference between leadership and management, identify their personal leadership style, as well as understand other leadership styles and when to use them strategically. Participants also strengthen their ability to lead a team with diverse groups effectively.
“Unleashing potential of African Higher Education Institutions to contribute to economic success and towards the continent’s long term development agenda will require adaptive leadership and management (L&M) structures and personnel with cross-cutting professional skills, who are able to work in dynamic environments.” Reiterates Sylvia Chindime Mkandawire, RUFORUM Training Officer.
As a result of this course, AWARD envisions a strong, and motivated crop of ARD leaders; skilled to lead diverse teams effectively and who will serve as change agents in their institutions. The continued collaboration with RUFORUM will also steer the leadership development agenda, even further, in NARS to positively influence ARD. This course also hopes to gain buy in, and support from the senior leaders in ARD, realizing the critical advantage in integrating gender effectively in research work, and generating gender-related publications, as incorporated in the LEPARD curriculum.
About the Leadership Program for Agricultural Research and Development (LEPARD): Background/Motivation
AWARD envisions an African ARD landscape that is gender responsive with organizations, policies, technologies, and programs that include the voices of both women and men. This means making women’s as well as men’s concerns and experiences integral dimensions in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all ARD work so that all are represented equitably, and benefit equally. A supportive institutional environment is essential if the benefits of expanding individual agency are to be maximized and sustained. There is a need to increase the supply of quality ARD researchers and leaders, and to nourish a supportive environment for gender-responsive ARD. AWARD will have little influence on the latter unless it works in close synergy with other networks and institutions. Investing in new partnerships, richer forms of engagement, and relevant capacity building programs, like LEPARD, to support gender-responsive ARD would assure impact and sustained influence on national agricultural research systems (NARS), regional networks, and the CGIAR Consortium Research Programs (CRPs).
About LUANAR
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources is a university based in Malawi with the vision: “to be a world class University”. Its mission is to advance knowledge and produce relevant graduates with entrepreneurship skills for agricultural growth, food security, wealth creation and sustainable natural resources management, through teaching, training, research, outreach consultancy and sound management.
About RUFORUM
RUFORUM’s Mission is to strengthen the capacities of universities to foster innovations responsive to demands of small-holder farmers through the training of high quality researchers, the output of impact-oriented research, and the maintenance of collaborative working relations among researchers, farmers, national agricultural research institutions, and governments.
About AWARD
AWARD is a career-development program that since 2008 has, through tailored fellowships, equipped top women agricultural scientists across sub-Saharan Africa to accelerate agricultural gains by strengthening their science and leadership skills. We are cultivating a growing pool of African women to be effective within ARD institutions, responsive to gender issues in the service of women, without excluding men and technically competent to generate innovations needed by rural smallholders.