AWARD Announces Second Cohort of GRASP Fellows to Drive Gender-Responsive Agricultural Policy Change in Africa
The African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) has unveiled the Fellows comprising the second cohort of its Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship.
This two-year career development initiative is dedicated to nurturing a cadre of capable and empowered mid-career African women who will spearhead policy transformations to enhance the livelihoods of African smallholders, with a particular focus on women.
Hailing from six Anglophone and Francophone African nations, including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal, the 50 selected Fellows hold positions across diverse institutions, encompassing government, education, NGOs, and the private sector.
Most of them specialize in social sciences and possess a minimum of 10 years of experience in agriculture and food systems policy at national, regional, or continental levels. Significantly, 18 Fellows serve in governmental roles, positioning them to contribute to evidence-based policymaking, a core objective of the program.
Notably, some Fellows in this cohort share affiliations with those from the previous cohort, including institutions like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Labour Organization. This collaborative approach is seen as a positive stride in establishing teams that can advocate for policy changes within organizations or in specific policy domains.
With a considerable representation from Ethiopia and Madagascar, totaling 11 and 13 Fellows, respectively, the program aims to cultivate expertise among women who can support each other in influencing and driving policy reform.
This year, FAO’s report, “The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems,” underscores that despite some progress, substantial gender disparities persist in agrifood systems. The report emphasizes the urgency of intensifying efforts to reform policies and ensure that agricultural policies prioritize gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The GRASP Fellowship’s primary focus is on nurturing gender-responsive policies to bridge gender gaps within agrifood systems. Dr. Susan Kaaria, Director of AWARD, underscores the organization’s commitment to empowering women to lead agricultural research for development while promoting an inclusive environment for equitable agri-food systems.
The Fellowship equips women in Africa with unparalleled opportunities to develop technical proficiency in leading policy processes that consider the unique experiences of both male and female smallholders.
The 50 selected GRASP Fellows will undergo tailored training in mentoring, advanced leadership, negotiation skills, gender-inclusive agricultural policy, and masterclasses on policy processes. They will receive catalytic funding and access to networks, empowering them to spearhead gender-responsive policy development for agricultural transformation in Africa.
Each Fellow will be paired with a senior policy professio犀利士 nal as a mentor, and they will, in turn, select a junior policy professional to mentor during the Fellowship period. This trio will partake in structured mentoring programs to foster knowledge sharing and the development of Policy Innovation Projects, offering hands-on experience in collaborative gender-responsive policy development.