RAID Webinar Series: Women in Agriculture - session 3

Join us and discover what it takes to lead and innovate from two exceptional changemakers in agriculture. Dr Humera Iqbal and Dr Shumaila Arif are transforming agriculture and animal health from local communities to global platforms. In this dynamic session, they’ll share personal reflections on their leadership journeys, diverse career paths, the challenges they've faced, and the bold opportunities they've embraced. With careers spanning livestock research, climate advocacy, animal health, and regional training across Asia-Pacific, these inspiring women offer valuable insights into how to lead, grow, and thrive in agricultural development.

Whether you're an early or mid-career researcher, practitioner, or simply passionate about inclusive and sustainable agriculture, this webinar promises honest reflections and practical wisdom. Humera and Shumaila will speak candidly about breaking barriers, building networks, and the moments that shaped their careers.

Don’t miss this powerful conversation on leadership, resilience, and the vital role of women in transforming agriculture, locally and globally.

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Speakers

Dr Humera Iqbal

Humera Iqbal is a leading livestock researcher and Manager of the Pakistan-Netherlands Dairy Development Centre at Friesland Campina Engro Pakistan. She played a key role in the ACIAR-supported Dairy-Beef project at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, advancing sustainable livestock practices. A strong advocate for climate change awareness, she founded She Leads Agriculture to empower women and youth in farming. She is the part of Homeward Bound Projects, where she travelled along with 112 women in STEMM to Antarctica to understand the climate change impacts and role of women leadership.  In 2023, she received the Gender and Climate Award for her leadership in promoting gender equity and sustainability.

Dr Shumaila Arif

Shumaila Arif is a Senior Technical Officer at the Asia Pacific Consortium of Veterinary Epidemiology (APCOVE), where she coordinates field epidemiology training programs across Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste. She brings extensive experience in veterinary epidemiology, outbreak investigations, and diagnostic evaluations. Previously, Dr Suhimal served as a Research Associate at The University of Sydney, contributing to research and teaching in veterinary epidemiology for students and professionals. She also worked with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in Pakistan as a Postdoctoral Researcher, leading animal health projects. Her expertise spans mixed methods research, disease modeling, Bayesian analysis, participatory epidemiology, and diagnostic test evaluations. Her research focuses on infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, and the One Health approach, with a mission to strengthen global public health systems.