Vision Statement
The Vision of the Voice of Women in the Development of Agriculture (VOWDA) is to be a global center of excellence for gender responsive research in agriculture, food and nutrition security for Nigeria and Sub-Sahara Africa
Mission
The Mission of the Voice of Women in the Development of Agriculture (VOWDA) is to transform agriculture through science, technology and innovation that ensures world food security for all and economic prosperity by bridging the gap between agricultural Scientists and rural farmers most especially women
Goals:
- To fight hunger and poverty in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa through women professionals involved in Agricultural Research
- To contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector through research, technology transfer and utilization of agricultural innovations
Objectives are to:
- Link nutrition, agriculture and food production through provision of technical expertise under the agricultural transformation agenda initiative by working with rural women at the grass-roots level to improve farm yield and food production.
- organize women farmers as change agents of sustainable agricultural development in their communities and link Agribusiness to marketing of farm products
- mainstream gender into agricultural policy and program
- To make careers in agriculture attractive and acceptable by the Nigerian youths at the various levels of our academic institutions through tailored fellowship programs
- Technology transfer to rural women and school children in both agricultural and environmental areas
- Professional development and education for women, youth and girls
- Advocacy in the areas of
- Gender awareness
- Agricultural resource distribution
- Mentoring and career guidance
8. Networking with similar agencies within Nigeria and Developed countries
CORE VALUES
- Accountability and Transparency
- Innovativeness and quality
- Environmental consciousness
- Partnerships and cooperation
- Integrity and ethics
ABOUT VOICE OF WOMEN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE (VOWDA)
VOICE OF WOMEN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE (VOWDA) is committed to Agricultural productivity growth throughout the value chain to sustainably meet the demands of a growing nation and rally voices to fight against hunger and make careers in Agriculture attractive and acceptable by the Nigerian youths at various levels of our academic institutions.
VOWDA is an initiative that brings together professionals in the fields of agriculture. Its aim is to work with rural women at the grass-roots level to improve farm yield and food production. VOWDA is a member organization of the Women thrive worldwide, Farm Journal Foundation and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)
VOWDA is responsible for advancing the Foundation’s mission of sustaining agriculture’s ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment
We are accountable for extending organizational capacity, building a global partnership so that people can have access to safe and affordable food.
We are currently raising a campaign to rally support for the war against hunger in Nigeria. We collaborate with some organizations already on the front lines in fighting global hunger and we educate the general public about agriculture’s role in feeding a hungry world
VOWDA ‘s main efforts involve:
- Technology transfer to rural women and school children in both agricultural and environmental areas
- Professional development and education for women, youth and girls
- Advocacy in the areas of
- Gender awareness
- Agricultural resource distribution
- Mentoring and career guidance
- Networking with similar agencies within Nigeria and developed countries
Empowering women to participate fully in economic life across all sectors is essential to build stronger economies, achieve internationally agreed goals for development and sustainability, and improve the quality of life for women, girls and children.
The majority of those who produce, process, and market Africa’s food are women, but only one in four agricultural researchers is female (AWARD/ASTI 2009). Available data indicate that women in many African countries enroll in agricultural science as students but upon entering the workforce, face discouraging workplace dynamics. Rather than moving up the career ladder, many drop out and few reach positions of leadership.
An essential step toward improving outcomes for Nigerian’s smallholder farmers includes strengthening the voice of its women, on the farm, in the laboratories, in schools, in markets, and in policy forums. As part of the solution, it is critical to support the careers of Nigerian women agricultural researchers so they may contribute to poverty alleviation and food security at the highest possible levels.
Large gaps remain in knowing what works best for closing gender differences, what doesn’t work, and why. VOWDA will make efforts to identify scalable solutions for women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria, to help policymakers and development practitioners to better address gender constraints.
Major constraints faced by women in science careers in Nigeria include:
- cultural norms often make women less assertive than men
- family demands tend to make women less mobile than male counterparts
- some male managers are uncomfortable with female leaders
- lack of role models and poor access to support networks hinder women
- lack of leadership skills and organizational support affect women’s potential for promotion
VOWDA is a catalyst for innovations with high potential to contribute to the prosperity and well-being of Nigeria smallholder farmers, most of whom are women and make agricultural attractive to Nigerian youth.