Leading African Women in Food Fellowship (LAWFF), a chance to spotlight Africa’s game-changing women in food and agriculture. This transformative initiative is dedicated to empowering exceptional women leaders in Africa’s food and agriculture sector by providing them with cutting-edge training, mentorship, and global visibility to scale their impact and transform food systems across the continent.
As we embark on the journey to select the 2025 cohort of the Leading African Women in Food Fellowship (LAWFF), we take a moment to reflect on the remarkable milestones of the program’s past years.
In 2023, LAWFF identified and celebrated 25 exceptional women from a highly competitive pool of 640 nominations, representing 12 African countries. These inspiring leaders were selected for their groundbreaking contributions to the food and agriculture sector.
Building on this success, the 2024 fellowship broadened its impact, recognizing 30 outstanding women from 639 nominations spanning 10 African countries. These women, representing various points across the food systems value chain, exemplify the transformative power of African women driving innovation and change. These achievements underscore the growing influence and reach of LAWFF as a platform for empowering women changemakers in Africa’s food systems.
Impact in Action
· Comprehensive Support: LAWFF fellows benefited from expert-led training, one-on-one mentorship, and access to invaluable networks and opportunities, empowering them to drive innovation and sustainable growth.
· Recognition of Excellence: Graduation events coincided with the 2023 and 2024 Africa Food Systems Forum (AGRF) in Tanzania and Rwanda, where fellows’ achievements were celebrated.
· Global Advocacy and Visibility: Fellows were nominated for prestigious speaking engagements, such as the Intra-African Trade Fair 2023, Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) 2023 in Egypt, the Gender & Inclusion Summit 2024, and the Sahel Food-Systems Changemakers Conference 2024.
· Increased Visibility: Their groundbreaking work featured prominently in national and international publications, reinforcing the global narrative of African women driving transformation in food systems.
Nominate a Changemaker
We invite you to nominate a deserving woman leader for the 2025 LAWFF program. Your nomination could mark the beginning of a transformative journey for someone making a meaningful impact on Africa’s food systems.
Criteria for Eligibility
Eligible nominees for the LAWFF program are African women aged 25 – 45 with at least three years of impactful experience in the agri-food sector, and they will be selected across five categories: Disruptors, Trailblazers, Food/Beverage Narrative Changers, Top Chefs in Africa, and Ecosystem Enablers; highlighting their transformative contributions to reshaping Africa’s food systems.
Submit nominations here: We encourage you to nominate a deserving candidate for the 2025 LAWFF program. Their journey could begin with your nomination
Key Dates
Nomination Deadline: 26th January 2025, at 11:59 PM WAT (GMT+1)
We invite you to join us in celebrating and empowering exceptional women driving transformation in Africa’s food systems through the LAWFF program.
