Deadline: July 24, 2026
Applications are open for the Gender Responsive Research for Optimized Women (GROW) Fellowship 2026. Targeting women breeders in Africa, the GROW Fellowship seeks to contribute to more gender-responsive crop improvement systems by strengthening the leadership pipeline of women professionals working in plant breeding and related fields.
The immersive non-residential Fellowship seeks to accelerate the leadership, visibility, and career advancement of women breeders by strengthening their capacity to lead gender-responsive breeding research, influence scientific and policy agendas, and become recognized leaders driving crop and livestock improvement efforts on the continent.
The Fellowship targets African women breeders who are actively engaged in crop improvement research and development. Participants will be drawn from universities, national agricultural research systems (NARES), the private sector, and other institutions involved in crop breeding.
Benefits
Successful applicants will participate in a series of face-to-face and virtual activities, including:
- Leadership and negotiation skills training;
- Structured mentoring program;
- Knowledge forums and networking opportunities;
- Peer learning sessions in a growing network of women professionals in crop improvement and agricultural research.
Eligibility
The Program seeks applications from women professionals who:
- Are citizens of any African country;
- Hold at least a Master’s degree in plant or livestock breeding and actively engaged and practicing in this field;
- Have at least 5 years of experience in crop or livestock improvement research;
- Are affiliated with universities, national agricultural research institutions, private companies or other organizations involved in crop improvement;
- Are available and committed to participating fully in all Fellowship activities offered over a two-year period;
- Are not currently participating in other AWARD Fellowships.
Application
Applications must be submitted no later than July 24, 2026, at 23:59 East Africa Time (GMT+3). Applications will NOT be accepted after this deadline.
For more information, visit GROW Fellowship.
