Mrs Camara Anna Dembele is a doctoral student at the Ecole Doctorale des Sciences et Technologies du Mali (EDSTM) who recently received a doctoral research grant from SAA. She is an engineer in Agronomy and has a master's degree in Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) from the Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée (IPR/IFRA) in Katibougou, Mali. She has dedicated 13 years of her career in agricultural extension at the Office de la Haute Vallée du Niger, leading community development, natural resource management and research sections.

On 24 May 2022, SAA-Mali received her and her supervisor, Professor Mahamoudou Famanta who was also a former Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Dr Sokona Dagnoko, Country Director of SAA-Mali warmly welcomed them and congratulated her, saying that her success will also encourage other women to embark on higher studies and wished her a great success.

The SAA Doctoral Research Award is worth about USD 6,300 for 2 years and is an initiative under the Human Resource Development component. Its objective is to promote the engagement and success of female student in the area of agricultural extension. It is awarded every two years for a female candidate.
Ms. Camara expressed excitement about her research, which will focus on regenerative agriculture and the use of SAA models to promote technology adoption among smallholder farmers.

Mrs Camara Dembele, A scholarship laureate of the SAA doctoral research grant

Presentation of Mrs Camara Dembele and her thesis director