Nairobi- May 25, 2023 — African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) has welcomed 60 emerging scientists from Africa and Europe into the One Planet Fellowship to participate as the Fellowship Learning Partners. The 60 scientists hail from 12 African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia; and seven European countries, including Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain. The admittance of emerging scientists into the One Planet Fellowship, all under the age of 30 years, was marked by the training and networking week, which also included the participation of the first cohort of the One Planet Fellowship.

The global climate crisis is increasingly testing the world’s ability to adapt and build resilience. With the escalating environmental, economic, and human well-being risks, concerted efforts toward tackling these threats are imperative. That is why the One Planet Fellowship focuses on fostering synergies between African and European scientists to recover a better future for the planet. The Fellowship provides a platform for African scientists to share their context-specific knowledge with European scientists and for emerging European scientists to gain valuable exposure to the context within which scientific research is conducted on the continent.

During the week-long training and networking session, participants engaged in comprehensive and interactive sessions, including field visits, to uncover potential collaboration areas.

Two fundamental components of the One Planet Fellowship are fostering mentoring partnerships and research collaborations. By pairing mid-career African climate researchers with emerging researchers, the Fellowship seeks to establish intergenerational, intercontinental networks of scientists working to develop context-specific solutions for smallholders. The emerging African and European scientists are paired with the African One Planet Laureate Candidates who have been participating in various interventions offered by Fellowship, including a mentoring program and various training courses.

“We are excited to have young European scientists participating in the Fellowship, an opportunity that will allow them to experience the specific challenges, opportunities, and context of climate change and agricultural research in Africa.” Said Dr. Susan Kaaria at the launch of the training and networking week.

The training and networking week contributes toward building an intergenerational network of scientists. The week will facilitate an enhanced understanding of roles and expectations, enabling participants to develop action plans as a solid foundation for future engagements.

Following the one-week workshop, the European and African Learning partners will proceed with their one-month and six-month internship programs at the Laureate Candidate’s African institutions. They will gain exposure to the diverse African context and broaden their perspectives of agriculture and food systems in varying landscapes.

The One Planet Fellowship is a career development initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and BNP Paribas Foundation, with additional support from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the European Union (EU) Commission. The Fellowship, jointly implemented by AWARD and Agropolis Fondation, was created to build a dynamic, diverse, and highly connected network of African and European scientists equipped to lead cutting-edge research and innovation to help Africa’s small-scale farmers adapt to a changing climate.