The call for applications to the 2026 Leadership Program for Emerging African Women in Agricultural Sciences is now open.

The program funded by The Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) and implemented by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) seeks to build a pool of capable, confident, influential young women scientists equipped to excel in agricultural sciences, thrive in leadership roles, and champion gender integration in agriculture.

In this call, the leadership program is targeting applications from the following sub-Saharan African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia.

The initiative seeks to invest in up to 40 competitively selected African women under 35 years of age and their mentors. Selected candidates will participate in an intensive, non-residential career transformative program spanning nine months. They will be equipped in a range of areas, including:

• Effective leadership styles
• How to define their career path and leverage networks to advance their careers
• How to develop personal brands to build confidence in pitching their research ideas to potential funding agencies and collaborators
• The necessary tools and skills to successfully manage teams, navigate organizational dynamics, build alliances, and take risks
• How to navigate gender dynamics and apply proven strategies to be effective negotiators and problem solvers.