Africa-Press – Botswana. The Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) in collaboration with Organisation of Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and Botswana Academy of Science (BAS) have granted sponsorship awards to six women to enhance their expertise in scientific research.
Ms Ompelege Matenanga, Ms Kelebonye Ramolekwa, Ms Galalea Gaonosi, Ms Linda Mpofu-Dobo, Ms Kelemogile Mmolawa and Ms Rejoice Molosiwa were given the sponsorships to increase scientific expertise and prominence of females in STEM academia and research for a knowledge based economy.
Ms Matenanga and Ms Ramolekwa, both PhD students were awarded P100 000 each for their research topics while Ms Gaonosi received P70 000 for her research.
Ms Mpofu-Dobo, Ms Mmolawa and Ms Molosiwa were awarded article processing fees of P10 000 each for their papers in their various fields.
Speaking at a ceremony to award the sponsorships, BUAN Vice Chancellor Professor Ketlhatlogile Mosepele said the project would allow women to play a significant role in creating a future, sustainable Botswana.
He said it would also serve as a blueprint for diversity and inclusion in academia. Prof Mosepele said science was the heartbeat of the future and main vehicle towards unlocking the green transition, and hence a future economy.
“For instance, it is through science that Botswana can become food and nutrition secure, reach Vision 2036 and move beyond,” he said.
Prof Mosepele said it was through diversity and inclusion in science that the country could increase the probability of success on innovation in agriculture and natural resources sectors.
He said BUAN desired to be a centre of sustainability in Botswana. Prof Mosepele said they were currently developing a sustainability policy to entrench and implant this philosophy in their university.
He said a project such as this would facilitate BUAN’s implementation of several UN SDGs in Botswana. However, Prof Mosepele decried lack of diversity in academia saying it was a key issue of concern.
Therefore, he said creating an enabling environment to increase women participation could only enhance research intensification, as academic institutions and as a nation.
Globally, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics highlights that women account for only 30 percent of research in academia, and are likely to be named as authors on articles and patents compared to their male counterparts. Therefore, Prof Mosepele said this is not only shocking but also concerning.
“It should be a clarion call for us to effectuate structural reforms in academic institutions to redress this anomaly,” he said.
He said failure to do so would result in institutional failure, and institutional failure would result in governments’ inability to leverage on the power of academia for socio-economic growth.
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