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About Program

The Women in Agriculture Leadership Program is an initiative under the Australia-Africa Partnership that seeks to strengthen the capability, confidence and influence of African women scientists to lead and participate in climate- resilient agricultural research.

Aligned with this overall goal are two specific objectives of improving the numbers and experiences of women scientists leading agriculture research and enhancing capabilities of African researchers and institutions to foster gender-responsive climate resilient agricultural innovations that addresses the diverse needs of women and men smallholders.


Target Countries & Participants

The program will be implemented in five African countries: Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

 

Participants will include agricultural and climate researchers drawn from national agricultural research systems (NARS), ministries of agriculture (MoA), and academic institutions, ensuring strong institutional representation across the agrifood and climate research landscape.


Program Approach
The Program takes a two-track approach that includes a career development fellowship track and an institutional strengthening track.
Through the Fellowship, the Program will directly engage up to 330 individual beneficiaries from the five target countries including two cohorts of 110 Fellows; 110 Mentors; 110 Fellow’s Mentees.
Fellowship participants will benefit from a set of activities that will combine leadership development, mentoring partnerships and technical excellence to enhance their capabilities to lead climate resilient technologies.
The institutional strengthening piece will target national agricultural research systems (NARS), for bespoke programs designed to integrate gender in institutional policies and practices for equitable climate action.


Participants’ Selection
Fellowship participants are selected through a competitive process that includes an open call for application. Fellowship applications are strictly submitted online during the open call period.
Institutional participants are drawn from selected institutions determined through a consultative process involving various stakeholders in the AAPCRA program.
Funders Acknowledgement

The Women in Agricultural Leadership Program is an initiative of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) funded under the Australia-Africa Partnership. It seeks to contribute to end of program outcome two (EOPO2) “Australia leverages its funding to national and multilateral agricultural research institutes to increase the number of women leading and participating in climate resilient agriculture”. The Australia-Africa Partnership is delivered by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).


WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). Hosted by World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri. P.O Box 30677-00100 Nairobi, Kenya.

Email: awardqueries@cifor-icraf.org | Tel: +254 (0) 20 722 4242

© 2025 AFRICAN WOMEN IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (AWARD)