Programmes

AWLAE-Net operates on four intersecting and complementary pillars. They include policy advocacy, advancement of women professionals, girls’ education and working with women farmers.

I. POLICY LEVEL ADVOCACY

This program identifies policy level constraints to women’s advancement and engages top level managers in dialogue meant to bring about change. It involves gender advocacy at the policy level to help create an environment that supports, appreciates and promotes women professionals in their work, thus making it possible for them to influence policies and programs in ways that benefit the woman farmer. Gender sensitization workshops backed by research data on critical gender issues and their implications on productivity and development help improve policies and programs in favor of rural women farmers.

Examples include;

Makerere University - Uganda. Through the initiative of two AWLAE-Net members based in Uganda Dr Margaret Mangheni and Florence Birungi, gender has incorporated into the training curricula in the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at Makerere University.

Kenya Agricultural research Institute (KARI) - Kenya. In the 1990s, AWLAE-Net contributed to mainstreaming of gender at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). Gender work at KARI facilitated human resource become more gender sensitive and improve its analytical capacity as well as incorporate gender approaches to research.

Tanzania network has contributed significantly to women’s advancement through advocacy at the ministerial level and also by addressing land-related gender constraints.

II. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

This is the core of AWLAE-Net’s work, meant to increase women’s participation and voice at the policy level. This strategy invests in individuals through provision of academic scholarships (BSc, MSc, PhD), Leadership for Change training and other targeted skills training in agriculture and rural development fields. Todate, AWLAE-Net has trained over 600 women through BSc, masters and PhDs. Women who have benefited from the scholarships have advanced in their careers and made significant differences in their own organizations and also in the lives of women farmers.

Contribution to Agriculture through Research

Bruchid Resistance in Cowpea-Benin
An investigation into the Causal Agents of Cassava Root Rot-Cameroon
Genetic Engineering Techniques for Resistance-Ghana
The effect of Tree Mulch on water conservation and Yield of Maize-Kenya
Cassava mosaic virus - Benin
Contamination of stored grains with toxic fungi
Information and market structure in Zimbabwe’s wholesale regional markets

III. GIRL CHILD EDUCATION

This is a strategic approach to increase the pool of girls with potential to join universities and occupy positions of leadership. It involves scholarships for needy but bright girls, tutoring, career guidance mentoring and alternative education programs to ensure equal access to education for girls and boys and to develop a new generation of leaders in gender, agriculture, and environmental policies. To date 50,000 girls have been supported to continue with their primary and secondary school education as they represent the future.

IV. WORKING WITH WOMEN FARMERS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Is a way to increase women’s access to extension services but also to develop models that demonstrate the importance of improving women’s access to productive resources. Through this, women professionals interact with rural women farmers through development and transfer of relevant and appropriate technologies. Lessons learned at this level are used for advocacy at the policy levels.

Examples of Technology Transfer work by the Associations

Farmer to farmer sorghum multiplication project in Kumi district - Uganda
Improved cassava and bean multiplication in Mukono district - Uganda
Promotion of food security through improved seeds and training in soil management in Eastern Uganda
Improvement of animal feed resources for small dairy farmers in Mpigi district - Uganda
promotion of the use of the cassava flour in food - Benin
Making use of compost manure to improve yields - Senegal
Processing and preservation of sweet potatoes, tomatoes and fruits - Tanzania