At the age of 25, Marie-Claire KONÉ, a young woman of Malian origin, embodies hope and ambition in the field of agricultural research. A third-year research student at the Faculty of Agronomy and Animal Medicine, Marie-Claire not only excels in her studies: she is also the major of her class, a recognition that testifies to her dedication and talent.

Young graduates from vocational schools often face obstacles such as a lack of practical learning environments, professional experience and networks. To overcome these challenges and strengthen the skills of young researchers at universities and public research institutions in West and Central Africa, CORAF has set up an immersion program at national centers of specialization in West Africa.

Marie-Claire had the opportunity to take part in this immersion program in Senegal, organized by the Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricoles (CORAF) as part of the Food System Resilience Program in West Africa (‘FRSP’). This experience took place at the headquarters of the Regional Center of Excellence (CRE) on dry cereals and associated crops (CERAAS), a center renowned for its contributions to improving agricultural production in a context of climate change. Over the course of a month, Marie-Claire explored four state-of-the-art platforms at CERAAS: the genotyping platform, the biochemistry research and training platform, the phenotyping platform and the bioinformatics facility. Each week in these high-tech environments was a revelation for her. Supervised by experts, she discovered new and fascinating fields, in particular genotyping, which redirected her professional ambitions.

“This immersion trip was a real revelation for me. I’d never had the opportunity to work in a research laboratory of this scale, and it changed my view of science and my own abilities,” Marie-Claire confides enthusiastically. “CORAF’s support has been invaluable. They have opened doors that I didn’t think I could get through, especially as a woman in a field still largely dominated by men,” said Marie-Claire KONÉ.

Like Marie-Claire, ten other students and young scientists (50% of them women) have benefited from this immersion program in the specialization centers. Talla LO from Senegal and Hassane YAYE ABDOU from Niger spent their respective stays at the aquaculture specialization center in Nigeria. CISSE Awa Marie Coll and Talla KANE, both from Senegal, were hosted at the CRE-Fruit et légumes in Burkina Faso.

Marie-Claire is particularly grateful for this opportunity as, until now, similar opportunities at her university were mainly reserved for men. Her selection by CORAF was a great surprise and a source of pride. “I hope my story will inspire other young Malian women to pursue careers in agricultural research, a crucial field for Africa’s future,” she insisted.

With ambitious dreams for the future, Marie-Claire aspires to a PhD and hopes one day to become her country’s Minister of Agriculture. Her journey is proof that, with hard work and the right opportunities, anything is possible. “I encourage all young girls to go into agricultural research. Our continent needs our ideas, our determination and our passion to solve tomorrow’s challenges,” she concludes with determination.

For Prof Niéyidouba LAMIEN, Program Manager at CORAF, “CORAF’s initiative to organize immersion trips for research students is crucial. It helps to mentor and inspire young people to pursue a career in research, ensuring a succession to the aging generation of researchers in West Africa.”

Through this initiative, supported by the World Bank-funded West Africa Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), CORAF seeks to strengthen the skills of young researchers across the region, offering them practical experience and high-level training.