Welcome to AgSpirations by AWARD. A podcast that explores how we can accelerate inclusive, agricultural-driven development in Africa.

Brought to you by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development, AWARD, we feature immersive conversations with leading global experts. Hosted by Dorine Odongo, Communications Manager, AWARD.

Every month, we invite you to join us as we curate a series of conversations to shape the narrative and actions around advancing inclusive agricultural-driven development in Africa in policy and practice. We will be spotlighting the global and regional trends while surfacing the fundamental importance of gender-responsive research and development.

AgSpirations by AWARD will amplify the voices of researchers developing home-grown solutions for inclusive, agricultural-driven development for Africa.

Our conversations will feature successful strategies that can be upscaled to advance equitable agricultural innovation systems across Africa. We will be highlighting the need for intentional investment in African scientists and research institutions so that they can deliver agricultural innovations that better respond to the needs and priorities of a diversity of women and men across Africa’s agricultural value chains.

So join us to learn more as we deconstruct inclusive agricultural innovation systems and illuminate why they are crucial drivers of transforming livelihoods.

Can Africa guarantee its own inclusive agricultural research and development? What are the specifics of getting the private sector to optimally contribute to this mission?

We are joined by Ms. Amandla Ooko-Ombaka, an Associate Partner at McKinsey, to discuss the role of the private sector and how we can get private sector engagement right. 

To find out more about the work Amandla is doing, please visit: www.mckinsey.com

Please subscribe to AgSpirations by AWARD to follow the conversations. You can find all episodes at www.awardfellowships.org/podcast

On this episode of AgSpirations by AWARD, we had a candid conversation with Dr. Steven Were Omamo, CEO of New Growth International (NGI), to discuss the agricultural development, inclusive development nexus, and the role of policies. 

Before returning to NGI at the end of 2021, Were spent most of the last four years as the Representative and Country Director for the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Ethiopia. Before this, he was WFP’s Deputy Director of Policy and Programme and Representative to the African Union and UN Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa.

To find out more about the work Were is doing, please visit: www.newgrowthint.com

Professor Bina Agarwal, a renowned, award-winning author, and professor of Development Economics and Development joined us to deconstruct the nexus of gender equality and inclusive agricultural systems. 

What is the role of gender equality in inclusive agricultural systems? Should we start paying attention to gender equality today? She addresses these questions and more as we illuminate the progress toward gender equality and development within our agricultural systems.

Resources

Audio transcript

Professor Bina Agarwal’s books

Professor Bina Agarwal’s academic papers

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Mandefro Nigussie to discuss how we can scale institutional policies to drive countrywide gender-responsive agriculture.

Dr. Mandefro Nigussie is an Agricultural Researcher and the State Minister for Agricultural Development at the Ministry of Agriculture in Ethiopia. Until 2020, he was the Director General at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR). Dr. Nigussie has a Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding with over two decades of experience in policy, research, and development across Africa.

Resources

Audio transcript

This episode features a conversation with Her Excellency Professor Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, a distinguished, award-winning biodiversity scientist and the sixth president of the Republic of Mauritius.

We delve into why inclusive leadership is crucial for Africa’s development and the convergence of scientific innovation and inclusive leadership as a development driver.

Professor Gurib-Fakim talks of her eclectic journey to the pinnacle of leadership. She illuminates why inclusive leadership is not just right but smart and how Africa can move the needle on development by investing in its people.

In this episode, we spoke with Judith Ann Francis, from Trinidad and Tobago, one of the leading global experts on agricultural innovation systems.

Judith has championed science, technology, and innovation for agricultural and rural development across 79 countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, for decades.

She has contributed to strengthening agricultural innovation systems by building the capacity of women and young professionals and engaging them in policy advocacy and resource mobilization through inter-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder coalitions.

Judith is an established author and has conducted extensive research on the nutritional value of tropical crops and indigenous food products.

As we discuss inclusive agricultural innovation systems, we ask, are we making any progress? 

Resources:

Episode transcript

Case studies quoted:

Innovation systems: Towards Effective Strategies in support of Smallholder Farmers

Case study 5: Community food production and health: Empowerment, engagement and innovation for improved nutrition outcomes in Pacific Island Countries

Technical Brief: Realising the potential of local foods in Pacific Island Countries: Promoting the health, nutrition and income benefits

Impacts of COVID-19 on agriculture and food systems in Pacific Island countries (PICs): Evidence from communities in Fiji and Solomon Islands

Life stories of African women and young professionals in science: 3rd Africa-wide women and young professionals in science competitions