African Food Prize launched to improve innovations

By Kodjo Adams, GNA
Accra, April 15, GNA - The Africa Food Prize geared towards inspiring innovations in food production and security has been launched in Accra, with an amount of 100,000 dollars award package for the winners.

The Africa Food Prize is the pre-eminent award to recognize outstanding individuals or institutions whose contributions in African agriculture have forged a new era of sustainable food security and economic opportunities for all Africans.

The Africa Food Prize was announced at the 12th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program Partnership Platform which is seeking new sources of investment and financing for African farmers and agriculture businesses.

The prize was first established in 2005 funded by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and Yara International ASA (Yara), a global manufacturer of fertilizer delivering crop nutrition programmes and sustainable solutions for agriculture.

Now after ten years, Yara decided and agreed with AGRA to transform the prize into an African agriculture and food security prize more fully embedded within the African continent.

Mr Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, launching the programme urged African governments to fully implement the Malabo Declaration on agricultural growth and transformation for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods.

'We want to celebrate individuals and institutions that are changing the reality of farming in Africa, from a grueling struggle to survive to a profitable family business that thrives,' he said.

The former Nigeria President said the Prize was another way Africans can drive a search for solutions to fundamental problems, such as chronic lack of financing, that prevent African farmers from achieving their potential.

He expressed optimism that the award would grow in stature and prestige to celebrate Africans.

Mr Strive Masiyiwa, Board Chair of AGRA, said the initiative would bring a spotlight on bold initiatives and technical innovations that can be replicated across the continent to eliminate hunger and poverty and provide a vital new source of employment and income.

Dr Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA, said the winners would be chosen by the Africa Food Prize Committee, which will include other distinguished leaders in African agriculture.

The winners will be announced annually during a prize ceremony at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), starting with the 2016 AGRF slated for 5-9 September in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr Kalibata, who is also the past prize recipient, said the new African agriculture and food security prize would continue to embody the values established by the Yara Prize, which has become a powerful beacon for attracting global attention to the impressive women and men who are forging a new future for African agriculture.

She said African agriculture sector is growing faster than any in the world, but its progress is far from sufficient, and envisioned a prize that can raise the bar for what Africans can achieve in all the value chains.

GNA