Phd in Improving the inclusion of African women in agricultural smallholder value chains - Benguerir

Entreprise :

About UM6P:

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P, https://www.um6p.ma/en) is an international higher education institution, established to provide research and innovation at the service of education and development for Morocco and the African continent. It has a state-of-the-art campus at the heart of the Green City of Benguerir, near Marrakesh. UM6P’s research approach promotes transdisciplinary and entrepreneurship spirit with an emphasis on international collaboration. This research program is conducted by the Agriculture Innovation and Technology Transfer Center (AITTC) of UM6P, in collaboration with IFDC, Wageningen University, and various Ghanaian Universities.

The major client of UM6P is the OCP group (http://www.ocpgroup.ma/en/home), a world leader in fertilizer production, providing capital and research funds to the University. In parallel, a new portfolio of clients is growing, with the development of an R&D cluster around the University and a growing number of international partnerships. 

Culture de l'entreprise :

UM6P – Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique se caractérise par une culture fortement orientée innovation, où la créativité, l’expérimentation et l’audace intellectuelle constituent des piliers essentiels. L’université encourage l’initiative, l’ouverture d’esprit et l’autonomie, dans un environnement stimulant tourné vers la recherche, l’entrepreneuriat et l’impact. Cette dynamique innovante est enrichie par une dimension coopérative solide, valorisant la collaboration, le partage des savoirs et le développement humain. Une orientation vers la performance et l’excellence complète l’ensemble, tandis que les processus formels restent volontairement plus légers pour préserver l’agilité.

Poste :

Topic:  Improving the inclusion of African Women in agricultural smallholder value chains

Women play a crucial role in agriculture. More than 1.73 billion women live in rural areas, with agriculture being the primary source of income. It is critical to recognize the intrinsic value of women's empowerment and gender equality in eradicating poverty and hunger and improving food security.

In Africa a large percentage of the continent's food, including subsistence and market food is produced by women but their contribution is undervalued and faces significant barriers.

Despite the critical roles that rural women play in agriculture and food security, women often face greater challenges in access to and control over productive resources.

The proposed doctorate will shed light on the various ways in which social norms act as severe challenges to rural African women's empowerment in smallholder value chains. The goal of this research is (1) to investigate how the socio-economic, cultural, and cognitive dimensions affects women's empowerment in the smallholder's Value Chain, (2) to enable identifying solutions that help women overcome barriers for inclusion in value chains and (3) to identify and design specific interventions that take the women's needs and priorities into account.

Applications must include :

• A cover letter indicating how the profile of the candidate match with the required position
• A detailed CV.
• Contact information of 2 references

Application Deadline: October 18, 2021

Profil recherché :

Criteria of the Candidate:

• Master’s or equivalent degree in soil science, agronomy, environmental science, physico-chemistry
• Rigor / organization
• Good communication skills in French and English
• Teamwork

Adresse de notre siège :

Traits de personnalité souhaités :

Extraversion Organisation Respect des règles Besoin de réflexion Recherche de nouveauté