afrol News, 6 August - In its international initiative to help millions become food secure, the government of the United States will put special focus on women farmers, especially in Africa.

Responding to a group of leading African women scientists in Nairobi yesterday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, noted that women account for as much as 80 percent of Africa's food production, but said they were limited to accessing land, vital services, such as credit, and to improved technologies.

He also said despite the limitations, women in Africa have made outstanding achievements which needed to be applauded.

The African women scientists on Wednesday urged leaders and the US policy-makers to put women at the centre of addressing hunger and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

The message was send during the visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Agriculture, to research facility, where the women research group, AWARD, also outlined strategies to rid Africa of its hunger crisis.

The African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), which is coordinated by the Gender & Diversity Programme of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), provides 60 fellowships yearly to boost the female talent pool supporting Africa's farmers, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

In its second year running, AWARD has provided fellowships to 121 women scientists from 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with focus also on strengthening women's leadership capacity.

Hillary Clinton is on an African tour that will discuss strategic positions of the US government’s policies on the continent, including finance and development aid, conflicts, especially in the Horn of Africa as well as other regions.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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