At the start of her university studies in 2013, Halimata Sawadogo did not imagine herself becoming a statistician. Still, training as an engineer, statistician, and economist in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, allowed her to find her path. As a daughter of farmers, the young engineer now puts her expertise at the service of rural communities by working as an Expert in Data Services with the international organization Akvo West Africa. Halimata focuses mainly on the collection and analysis of data in the fields of agriculture, environment, and water. She believes data and monitoring are important in developing effective, gender-sensitive public policies.

Having been interested in agriculture since childhood, Kadidia Dao has worked in rural development since 2010. For around ten years, she supported producers in their activities, particularly in advisory support and extension services. She now wants to use her field experience to contribute to formulating better agricultural policies. Kadidia recently joined the department responsible for agricultural sectoral policy issues at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries Resources. During her career, she has also developed an interest in gender issues and hopes to deepen her knowledge in this topic through the AWARD Policy Fellowship.

After studying Economics at university, Irène Baowendsom Ouédraogo began a career in tourism before joining the Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA). As an Agricultural Economist, her aim is to find solutions to the productivity issues facing many farmers using a participatory method. As part of the GRASP initiative, Irène is particularly motivated to learn more about gender to improve her research and make it more effective.

Diariétou Sambakhe is trying to revolutionize Senegalese agriculture by relying on mathematics and statistics, which is her true passion. After achieving an MSc in Mathematics from Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, she obtained a PhD in Biostatistics Applied to Agronomy at Paul Valéry University in Montpellier, France. She returned to Senegal after her studies with the determination to make a difference. Diariétou challenges gender stereotypes in an often male-dominated field and is motivated by the AWARD Policy Fellowship to improve her self-confidence and promote the role of women in agriculture.

Adama Guèye, Economist and Gender Equality Activist, is forging her way into Senegalese agriculture. With an MSc in Economic Policy and Project Management, she started at the Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research before becoming a Researcher specializing in horticulture and pesticides. Now focused on gender policies, her fight for women’s equality in agriculture led her to the AWARD Policy Fellowship, during which she hopes to develop equitable policies. She aims to fill the gaps for a stronger and fairer African agricultural sector.

Khadidiatou Ndir Ndoye came to agriculture through her interest in genetics. She has explored areas enabling plant improvement through genetics and molecular biology for more than two decades. She is particularly proud to have collaborated, between 2010 and 2016, with the University of Virginia in the United States and the United States Agency for International Development to develop a curriculum around seeds. She now coordinates this curriculum at Iba Der Thiam University in Thiès, Senegal. Passionate about biotechnologies, she was a pioneer in promoting them to achieve food self-sufficiency in Senegal.

With nearly a decade of experience supporting the private agricultural sector, Ndeye Astou Kébé specializes in training and access to innovative financial products. At the heart of her activity is participation in evidence-based reforms and policies, focusing on gender equality and social inclusion. As an AWARD Policy Fellow, Ndeye wants to accentuate her efforts to promote the emergence of a new generation, conscious and determined, composed mainly of women and young people in family farms, which she considers to be the keystone of agricultural development.

Yacine Ngom is a sociologist committed to the transformation of the Senegalese agricultural sector. As a Specialist in Agricultural Policy Analysis at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), she aims to improve access to financing for women and youth working in the agro-silvo-pastoral and fisheries sectors in Senegal. Her dream is to create sustainable opportunities to help increase the income of those who depend on these vital sectors. Her commitment to an equitable and prosperous agricultural future is undeniable, making her an undisputed leader in her field.

Hobisoa Prisca Raharimboahangy has a degree in Accounting and Business Administration. Since starting her career, she has worked in rural communities, promoting access to microfinance for producers. Accustomed to managing cross-functional projects to help disadvantaged farmers, she is now Head of Sustainable Development at Sahanala. This social enterprise seeks to combine agribusiness and nature conservation in collaboration with farmers’ organizations. Hobisoa hopes to acquire new skills in methodology, social inclusion, and public relations through the GRASP initiative.

Passionate about the blue economy, Julia Hanitriniaina Randrianarivelo has worked for twenty years at the Ministry of Fisheries of Madagascar. As the Head of the Blue Economy Department for the Atsinanana Region on the island’s east coast, Julia works on coordinating development projects that provide training and support to young people and women on various themes, such as literacy and entrepreneurship, with a view to their emancipation. With the AWARD Policy Fellowship, Julia hopes to become a better communicator and develop her leadership abilities.