The majority of those who produce, process, and market Africa’s food are women, but only one in four agricultural researchers and one in seven agricultural policymakers are female. Vicki Wilde, Director African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), recently sat down with BurnessGlobal’s Ellen Wilson to discuss why that gap is a major concern and how AWARD is working to bridge it.

Conversations in Development is a monthly series that features interviews with fascinating people in the development space. Through these interviews, fresh perspectives on a variety of issues ranging from agricultural development, global health and forestry are shared in the hope of sparking dialogue about the top development priorities in the world today.