Her name means “hope” and she is certainly living up
to her name. Ms Espérance Zossou is a young PhD scholar from Benin at the
Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), who is the recipient of several science
awards, including that of the “Most Promising Young Scientist,” which she
received at the Africa Rice Congress in 2010. Her goal is to advance in her
field of research and place her knowledge at the service of her country.
But to reach the position she has today, Espérance
had to face many barriers as she grew up in a society where boys are
traditionally given more importance than girls, “My parents were looked down
upon by our community because they had only daughters,” she recounted.
“However, they brought us up to believe that we were
equal to boys in all fields, particularly in education, as they are both
academicians.” Today, not only her parents, but her entire community is proud
of her achievements.
Espérance’s MSc study on “Technological,
institutional and organizational innovations triggered by a farmer-to-farmer
rice parboiling video in Central Benin” was pivotal in showing the importance
of rice training videos in enhancing rural learning, linkages and institutions.
This helped her to win a scholarship through the Coopération
Technique Belge (CTB) in Benin to pursue her doctoral study on the “Role of
communication tools (video and rural radio) in local rice processing and impact
on rural livelihoods and markets.”
AfricaRice is proud to have supported women scholars
like Espérance. In the last few years, the Center has supported Dr Khady Dramé
and Dr Yonnelle Moukoumbi, who were both laureates of the Oréal-UNESCO Women in
Science Award.
The Center is actively involved in the African Women
in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) program. It is also coordinating
the Global Rice Science Scholarships (GRiSS) in Africa through which young
Africans, including women, are offered the opportunity to be experts in a
scientific discipline and to have a broader understanding of the issues that
affect rice science for development.
AfricaRice’s new strategic plan projects that by
2020, research capacity in Africa will have increased through PhD and MSc
fellowships (at least 30 per year, of which at least one-third will be awarded
to female candidates, a percentage that was already achieved by AfricaRice in
2010) and training in specific areas through internships and group training.
“These
capacity-building efforts will help create a new generation of rice research
and extension professionals in Africa, at least 30% of them women,” said Dr
Marco Wopereis, AfricaRice Deputy Director General.
Highlighting the urgency of such efforts, he
referred to a 2008 survey conducted among AfricaRice’s then 22 African member
countries, which showed that only 250–275 researchers (including only 15 women)
were involved to some extent in rice research.
“As we celebrate today the achievements of women on
the occasion of the International Women's Day, we hope that there will be many
more researchers like Espérance in Africa to help us find answers to the
pressing issues of food security, peaceful development and poverty reduction in
the continent,” said Dr Rita Agboh-Noameshie, AfricaRice scientist, who leads
the Gender in Rice Research and Development Task Force.
The Gender Task Force is implementing a
gender-mainstreaming capacity-building program for national gender focal points
and relevant rice stakeholders, to reinforce their capacity to effectively
address gender concerns in rice R&D activities.
“Although women undertake much of the work in
traditional rainfed, mangrove, and upland rice in Africa, there are very few
women rice scientists. Therefore, there is a big risk of missing the broader perspectives
necessary to develop appropriate technologies and have tangible impact,” said
Dr Agboh-Noameshie.
The Gender Task Force will create more opportunities
for promising young women scientists to pursue their careers in rice science,” she
added.
