The Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Abimbola Kikelomo Ojo, a distinguished Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, as a 2025 Policy Fellow for the Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship.

The GRASP Fellowship, a flagship initiative of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), is designed to equip female professionals with the knowledge, tools, and networks necessary to influence the design and implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies across Africa’s food systems.

Dr. Ojo was selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants across the continent, emerging as one of 50 exceptional women chosen for the third cohort of the program. Her selection is a testament to the strength of her proposal and its alignment with the fellowship’s mission to foster inclusive, equitable, and impactful agricultural policies that reflect the realities of both women and men in the sector.

The year-long GRASP Fellowship will provide Dr. Ojo with intensive training and mentorship, aimed at strengthening her technical, policy, and leadership capacities. As a fellow, she will be exposed to a wide range of development-oriented learning modules, collaborative projects, and high-level policy dialogues at national, regional, and continental levels.

Through this opportunity, Dr. Ojo will spearhead innovative policy projects within the college; foster partnerships, and contribute to the College’s mission of advancing sustainable agriculture and rural development. Her involvement in the fellowship is expected to drive mentoring networks and promote evidence-based policy engagement within Nigeria’s agricultural sector and beyond.

Reacting to the news, the Provost, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure expressed profound pride in Dr. Ojo’s achievement, stating:
“Dr. Abimbola Ojo’s selection as a GRASP Fellow is a major milestone for the College. It reflects not only her dedication and excellence but also our institution’s growing visibility in regional policy development. We are confident that her contribution will further strengthen the college’s  impact in gender-inclusive agricultural advancement.”

The GRASP Fellowship is part of AWARD’s broader efforts to build a pool of confident, competent, and influential African women policy champions. By engaging directly with policy processes and decision-making platforms, fellows like Dr. Ojo are reshaping the future of agriculture on the continent.

ASAGUNLA, Oluwafunke O. anipr
Assistant Registrar, Public Communications, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure.
Tuesday 1st July, 2025