Rwandan female researchers selected for food systems policy fellowship

Seven Rwandan women are amongst 50 African women selected as Fellows for the second cohort of The Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship, an initiative of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The AWARD Policy Fellowship is cultivating a growing pool of African women in the policy field to catalyze the design and implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies across Africa.

Agriculture has long served as the backbone of the Rwandan economy – currently accounting for 31% of gross domestic product and employing 70% of the population. Women make up the largest number of workers in the sector, due to their role in providing food and income for families.

However, women’s participation in decision-making roles within farming enterprises remains remarkably low – and this is having a detrimental impact. “The inclusion of women in cooperatives is important for the development of farmer-led agricultural enterprises and to contribute more to sustainable agricultural production,” states Claudette Imanishimwe, AWARD Policy Fellow and Governance and Advocacy Advisor for SNV Rwanda.

To address the challenges smallholders face and close gender gaps in agrifood systems, transformative policy change is needed – a key focus of the GRASP Fellowship. For its second phase, the GRASP initiative has targeted six new countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal. The selected applicants have at least 10 years’ experience in agriculture and food system policy at national, regional, or continental levels, with most working in social sciences.

As part of their training, the GRASP Fellows learn how to become effective negotiators, sharpen their skills to design gender-responsive policies, and build collaborative relationships with different policy stakeholders. They also receive catalytic funding and access to networks to enable them to lead agricultural policy processes that integrate gender.

A transformational approach

Although Rwanda boasts comparative advantages to produce high-value horticultural crops – due to its favorable climate, diversified agro-climatic conditions, and fertile soils – agricultural sector transformation is hampered by wide-spread reliance on rainfed agriculture and limited use of modern inputs. “Approaching the sector in a more transformational manner could impact the livelihoods of millions of farmers and the country's entire economy,” says Sandrine Urujeni, Chief Operations Officer at the National Agricultural Export Promotion Board, and AWARD Policy Fellow. Through GRASP Fellowship, Sandrine hopes to strengthen her skills in policy design to drive positive change in production and revenues for smallholders.

“I want to see what policies the government can put in place to facilitate value addition, such as the transformation of locally-produced products,” says Diane Sayinzoga, another AWARD Policy Fellow and Head of Special Economic Zones and Export Facilitation for the Rwanda Development Board. She believes value-added production is key to transforming Rwanda’s agricultural sector, and is excited to learn during the Fellowship how to better empower women and encourage their involvement in agri-processing.

Bridging the gaps

Adelphine Mukashema agrees more can be done to empower women, whose potential as farmers and entrepreneurs is often limited due to societal inequalities. “When coffee is in the garden, it belongs to women. However, when it is ready for sale, it belongs to men.” Adelphine is the Chairperson of a non-profit organization that trains women on defending their rights and the best ways to engage their partners in constructive discussions around land management. “I am motivated to learn how to spot gaps in policies related to gender in the agriculture sector – and how to bridge them,” she enthuses. “The Fellowship can help provide these answers.”

Gender equality expert Caritas Kayilisa has devoted her career to advocating for women’s rights, and was involved in implementing Rwanda’s first gender mainstreaming strategy in agriculture. This amplified opportunities for women and girls, including access to productive resources, capacity building, and participation in leadership positions in agriculture cooperatives. “Unequal access to resources by men and women widens the gap in agricultural production and hampers nutrition efforts,” she states.

Through the GRASP Fellowship, she hopes to further her research in “demonstrating the correlation between the empowerment of women and the reduction of malnutrition in rural households.” Such work is essential, as the World Food Programme estimates that 20% of Rwandans are food insecure, and malnutrition remains an important national issue.

Fostering knowledge sharing

The GRASP Fellowship promotes the sharing of knowledge and catalyzes intergenerational learning through a mentoring scheme. Each Fellow is matched with a senior policy professional as their mentor and a junior policy professional as their mentee. This aspect of the initiative is a key draw for many applicants.

 For instance, Christella Mukakalisa, Agriculture Advisor for KODIKA farmers’ cooperative in Nyamasheke District, hopes to enhance her skills in leadership and communication so she can better advocate for women’s rights. “Empowering women to boost their self-confidence is very important, and that’s something I hope to learn from this Fellowship,” she says.

Caritas also recognizes the Fellowship will provide her with a platform to empower women and youth in agriculture. “It will enable me to collaborate with like-minded individuals to share best practices in gender mainstreaming in agriculture, and learn from experts about developing more inclusive and equitable agricultural policies,” she enthuses.

www.awardfellowships.org