Special Initiatives
Arab Women Leaders in Agriculture (Awla)
Women-powered transformation in agricultural research and development in the Middle East and North Africa
Awla is a fellowship program that aims to help women researchers in agriculture to secure leadership roles by encouraging gender-responsive working cultures and creating platforms to showcase their intellect, capability and contribution.
The program is designed to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on gender equality and women’s empowerment by building and enhancing the capacities of a new generation of Arab women researchers and leaders. By doing so, Awla aspires to have a positive impact on the SDGs on Climate Action; Life on Land; and Partnerships for the Goals.
ICBA developed Awla in 2016 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Islamic Development Bank.
To find out more about this initiative, please visit the Awla website.
Emirates Soil Museum
A unique hub of knowledge about the soils in the United Arab Emirates
Based on ICBA’s premises in Dubai, the Emirates Soil Museum is a unique facility in the Middle East and North Africa region.
In addition to serving as an information hub, the museum acts as a critical element of building awareness around the issues of soil degradation and loss.
The museum is designed to cater to the needs of a variety of visitors, including school children, university students, researchers, professionals and scientists, environmentalists, land use planners, decision- and policy-makers.
Inaugurated on 8 December 2016, the museum serves to raise awareness and foster appreciation of the importance of soils for national development and food security.
To find out more about this initiative, please visit the Emirates Soil Museum website.