The Africa Food Prize is the preeminent award recognizing an outstanding individual or institution that is leading the effort to change the reality of farming in Africa—from a struggle to survive to a business that thrives.
The US $100,000 prize celebrates Africans who are taking control of Africa’s agriculture agenda. It highlights bold initiatives and technical innovations that can be replicated across the continent to create a new era of food security and economic opportunity for all Africans.
African leaders in the public and private sectors have embraced the potential of agriculture to deliver a more secure and prosperous future and there are glimpses of the enormous progress African farmers can make when they have what they need to succeed, and how the food they produce and the income they earn can send good vibrations through the entire economy. But much work remains to be done, millions of farmers still lack access to high-quality agricultural inputs, that can grow more, with less. Farmers continue to have difficulty accessing markets. If they are not constrained by distance, limited quantities of produce see farmers receive low prices for their product. Many farmers also do not have access to storage, which means they usually sell their produce at harvest time when the price is lowest, or risk having the quality of their produce slowly eroded because of poor storage technologies. Limited technical knowledge also means farmers can be slow to adopt modern agricultural practices that are more productive, commercial, and sustainable. And with the effects of climate change becoming real, this need to continue learning and adapting becomes even more important as farmers counter the increasingly challenging conditions.
The Africa Food Prize exists to reward pioneering efforts to overcome these obstacles and encourage others to follow their lead.
Benefits
- The winner receives a US$100,000 prize, providing significant financial support to advance their initiatives.
- The award honors outstanding contributions to African agriculture, elevating the profile of recipients and their work across the continent.
- Winners gain increased exposure, attracting potential partnerships, investments, and opportunities to scale their innovations.
- The prize facilitates connections with key stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders, fostering collaborations that can amplify impact.
- By highlighting successful models, the prize encourages replication of effective solutions, promoting broader agricultural transformation across Africa.
- The award emphasizes environmentally sound and climate-resilient approaches, aligning with global sustainability goals.
- Recognized initiatives often focus on improving the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, contributing to poverty reduction and food security.
- The prize celebrates technological advancements and novel solutions that address challenges in the agricultural sector.
Eligibilities
The Prize Committee considers the following criteria for the Prize:
- Contribution to reducing poverty and hunger and/or improving food and nutrition security in measurable terms
- Contribution to providing a vital source of income and/or employment in measurable terms
- Potential for transformative change through scalability, replication, and sustainability
- Increased awareness and cooperation among African audiences and organizations
In its assessments, the Africa Food Prize Committee will particularly emphasize proven, tangible results, scalability and value creation derived from the nominee’s work, directly or indirectly, with regard to improvement of sustainable agriculture and food and nutrition security in Africa. In its deliberations, the Africa Food Prize Committee will furthermore emphasize the value of the nominees’ achievements with regard to visionary thinking, their role as motivator and rallying point in the campaign against hunger and poverty, as well as their inclination to share knowledge and cooperate. The Africa Food Prize Committee will also consider the circumstances under which the work has been carried out and results achieved; that is the complexity of the problem and the difficulties, hostilities or prejudices encountered.
- Proven leadership potential of the individual or organization, specifically the ability of the to persevere despite significant challenges or risks
Application Process
To apply, go to the Apply Now link.
Application Deadline: June 26, 2025 (27 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
