Maize is a staple food for 900 million people living on less than US$2 a day. Maize is the most important food crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where it occupies approximately 24% of the region’s farmland, more than any other staple crop. For maize improvement to contribute to SDG 5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment, it is essential that product profiles and new improved maize varieties for Africa’s smallholder farmers address the needs and preferences of both women and men. At the same time, the national maize seed sector and related value chains, must serve smallholder farmers – and especially women farmers – efficiently with information about and high-quality seed of modern stress-tolerant varieties.
To expand the evidence base for addressing these challenges and strengthen the integration of gender and social inclusion in our agricultural research-for-development (R4D) portfolio for sub-Saharan Africa, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is seeking a dynamic, pro-active, resourceful and results-oriented Associate Scientist – Gender and Agriculture Researcher to join its Socio-Economics Program in the region.
The selected candidate will form part of CIMMYT’s Gender and Social Inclusion research team and will work in close collaboration with CIMMYT’s other programs, and local and international partners. In alignment with CIMMYT’s strategy for gender and social inclusion in maize R4D, the selected candidate will work with colleagues and partners to expand the current evidence base on gender and social inclusion, particularly in gender-intentional seed delivery and agricultural livelihood improvements in sub-Saharan Africa, develop relevant policy recommendations and promote gender-transformative R4D practice.
The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and will involve travel, including to other CIMMYT offices and field operations.
Specific duties:
- Design and conduct research to identify and understand barriers to women’s adoption of stress-tolerant maize varieties.
- Based on research findings, develop and test innovative strategies and modalities for improving women farmers’ access to and use of stress-tolerant maize varieties.
- Work with maize breeders and other colleagues to integrate gender into product profiles and regional on-farm trials, including the related collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated data regarding farmers’ varietal and trait preferences.
- Collaborate with value chain researchers to develop and test innovative gender-intentional seed delivery tools in specific market segments.
- Research and promote avenues for integrating effective gender-intentional and gender transformative approaches in R4D, including institutional learning and change through networking and capacity strengthening.
- Publish research findings in international peer-reviewed journals.
- Contribute to mobilization of resources to strengthen gender and social inclusion in R4D.
