Christopher Dowswell Scholarship Fund

The Christopher Dowswell Scholarship Fund counters the lack of front-line female agricultural extension agents. In many African cultures, there is very limited communication between male extension agents and female farmers. Consequently, only five percent of rural women receive agriculture extension services.

The Christopher Dowswell Scholarship Program aims to increase the pool of female extension agents by providing modest financial support during their mid-career degree academic program. During the first three years of its existence, the program’s number of scholars has grown to 89. In 2017, the number of countries increased from four to five, as the Distant Learning Program of the Extension Department at the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC) in the Republic of Benin has been added to the program.

In December, Winrock evaluated more than 40 applicants from these five countries (Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania and Benin), 29 of whom were selected for awards. Though Winrock received a few candidates for the MSc degree, these candidates were excluded from consideration, as the Christopher Dowswell scholarships are intended for only BSc and Diploma level students.

During a recent meeting, the board of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), the key partner in the implementation of the Christopher Dowswell Scholarship Program, recommended an expansion of the program to all nine countries and 23 universities and colleges where the mid-career extension degree program — guided by Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE) — is active. Winrock wholeheartedly supports this strategy. However, the implementation of this strategy depends on our funding base. With the last 29 awards, all funds have been committed for the next calendar year (2018).None of the women receiving awards have dropped out of their academic programs, despite their very demanding family roles. They really deserve our support.