Carolyn Tyhra Kumasi, AWARD FellowIn developing countries, women do up to 80 percent of the work on farms. Yet in most areas in sub-Saharan Africa, women are afforded less status than men, have less access to resources, and have greater responsibilities given their dual roles as mothers and farmers in rural households. Strengthening the role of Africa's women, both on the farm and in laboratories, is an essential step in helping poor farmers feed their families.
In 2008, the foundation teamed up with USAID to fund a unique project of the CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program: African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) 
. AWARD offers two-year fellowships to fast track the careers of African women working in agricultural research so that they, in turn, can help in the fight against hunger and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. There are currently 180 outstanding women scientists from 10 African countries who benefit from an AWARD fellowship.
AWARD is unique because it:
- selects women scientists already working closely with the rural poor on tackling poverty and hunger;
- focuses on career development, adding value to existing academic training programs;
- nourishes the talent pipeline for agricultural research and development (R&D) through carefully tailored fellowship packages for women with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees
- engages with African leaders of agricultural R&D, both men and women, to raise awareness and build networks.
In this video, meet three African agricultural scientists whose research is helping small farmers to find solutions to their production challenges and create better lives for their families.