Assetou Foune Samake Migan

Assetou Foune Samake Migan (born 1960) is a Malian politician currently serving as the Malian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. She taught plant physiology at the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Bamako from 1993 to 2000 before working with Winrock International from 2000 to 2004, the Polycentric Social Forum in Bamako from 2005 to 2006, the African Institute of Food and Sustainable Development from 2005 to 2009, the Unitarian Services of Canada from 2011 to 2013, the Forum for Another Mali, and the Ministry of National Reconciliation and Northern Development in 2013. She served as a technical advisor at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research before her appointment to Minister in 2016.

Early life and education Assétou Founè Samaké Migan was born in 1960, in San, Mali. She went on to receive a doctorate in biological sciences at Kharkiv National University in the former USSR, specializing in plant genetics.

Career Migan taught plant physiology as well as supervised dissertations and teaching at the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Bamako—a public higher education institution in Bamako, Mali—from 1993 to 2000. Through her work there, Migan was involved with programming that prevented trafficking and child labor in the Sikasso region. From 2005 to 2006, she was in charge of methodology at the Polycentric World Social Forum in Bamako, Mali, a yearly meeting of civil society organizations working toward a future free from hegemonic neoliberal globalization Through her work there from 2006 to 2009, she developed and coordinated programs and projects related to the institute's mission. Specifically, the organization works toward enhancing resilience in Mali through community seed banks and farmer networks. Specifically, she was responsible for the Northern Development Agency United Nations Platform for the Sahel, World Bank, UN Development Program, and provision of technical support to non-governmental organizations partaking in reconciliation activities.

One of Migan’s main goals as Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research is the popularization of research through committed engagement with farmers’ organizations in order to optimize yields by improving plants genetically. ” She aims to raise the level of Malian children engaged in science so that they are properly equipped to face the barriers to development, such as food security, sustainable use of raw materials, adequacy of living conditions, and growth of cities. Ultimately, she hopes that scientists will be enabled “to meet the demands of an increasingly skill-hungry market in order to accelerate the transition to a developed, knowledge-based society. All universities and colleges were closed because of this strike. Dr. Mallé claimed that only the dismissal of Minister Migan could keep the academic year from becoming a wash.

Positions held

Professional Professor/researcher at the University of Bamako / University of Sciences, Technologies and Techniques of Bamako (1997–present) Professor at the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Bamako (1993-2000) Migan provided courses in plant physiology, supervised dissertations and teaching courses Program Assistant for Women of Agriculture and Environment at Winrock International (2000-2004) Migan assisted with program preventing trafficking and child labor in Sikasso region Polycentric Social Forum of Bamako (2005-2006) Migan was responsible for methodology Program Manager at African Institute of Food and Sustainable Development (IAD) (2005-2006) Scientific Coordinator at Institute of Research and Promotion of Alternatives in Development (IRPAD) (2006-2009) Migan developed and coordinated programs, projects connected to institute's mission Representative of Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso for Unitarian Services of Canada (USC Canada) (May 2011-July 2013) Technical Advisor for Ministry of National Reconciliation and Development of Northern Regions (November 2013-June 2014) Migan's responsibilities included: oversight of Northern Development Agency (AND), United Nations Platform for the Sahel, World Bank/UNDP, technical support to NGOs involved in reconciliation activities

Community life Co founder of the Institute for Research and Promotion of Alternatives in Development (IRPAD) in Mali Member of the Association Lecture au Féminin Member of the Forum for Another Mali (FORAM) Member of the Regional Coordination of the Coalition for the Protection of African Genetic Heritage (COPAGEN) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (2004 to the present) Former Member of the Board of Directors of the NGO GRAIN in Barcelona Spain Founder of the African Institute of Food and Sustainable Development (IAD) Former Member of the Steering Committee of the Democratic Inquiry Space (ECID) on Agricultural Research (Kéné Conseil / Mali) Former member of the Scientific Committee of SEXAGON in the Office du Niger Former member of the Consumers Association of Mali (ASCOMA)

Consultations Senior Researcher on "Impact Assessment of Land Acquisition on Agriculture in West Africa Consultant and member of the Pedagogical Committee for Seed Continuing Education and the holistic foundation of biotechnology in agriculture in UEMOA, Benin (2007-2011) Consultant on Critical Analysis of USC Canada Programs in Mali Consultant for the development of didactic tools for plant education in the bilingual pilot school of the Institute of Popular Education (IEP), Kati, Mali (2008) Consultant for the organization and animation of the training workshop of the members of farmers' organizations on agricultural research and food sovereignty in Mali (Kenya Council, Mali, 2009) Consultant for the evaluation of the USC Canada Program in Douentza, Mali (USC Canada 2009–2010) Consultant for the implementation of active pedagogy at the University of Bamako, Faculty of Sciences (Apprenticeship Service) for the Lead, Learn and Read (LLR) program of the Flora Hewlett Foundation, IEP of Kati (2009-2010) Consultant for the development of didactic tools for the living plant collection and photographs of International Kungoso Environmental Education Camp (Kungoso International Camp, Mali)