Final call for entries: $100,000 Africa Food Prize nominations close 30 June
Do you know a bold thinker, grassroots leader or pioneering institution who is transforming agriculture in Africa?
Nominations are open for the Africa Food Prize 2025 – with a US $100,000 award and the opportunity to be recognised as one of the continent’s most influential voices in food systems.
The winner will be announced this September in Dakar, Senegal during the Africa Food Systems Forum 2025 – Africa’s leading platform for bold ideas, policy action and leadership in agriculture.
The deadline for entries is approaching quickly, with an extended deadline of the 30th June. Nominate now via africafoodprize.org
What makes the Africa Food Prize unmissable?
- Win US $100,000 to support your work and scale your impact
- Be recognised on a continental platform dedicated to African-led solutions
- Amplify your voice and model across networks of policymakers, investors and practitioners
- Help inspire the next generation of food system leaders
Spotlight on past winners
From smallholder champions to research trailblazers and institutional pioneers, the Africa Food Prize celebrates those who are moving African agriculture forward – from subsistence to sustainability, and from survival to success. Meet past winners below!
- In 2024, Tinotenda Mhiko, CEO of Zimbabwe’s Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA), received the award for his role in revolutionising irrigation infrastructure, unlocking amplified production and food system resilience.
- In 2023, the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) was honoured for developing 650+ improved bean varieties that feed over 37 million people across Africa – boosting nutrition and climate resilience at scale.
Earlier laureates include:
- Dr Eric Danquah, who founded the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) in Ghana, training a generation of plant breeders who have released over 60 improved seed varieties.
- Dr Emma Naluyima, a Ugandan vet-turned-farmer who built a thriving, circular farm on just one acre, generating $100,000 a year for the farm and mentoring thousands of other farmers.
- Baba Dioum from Senegal, a veteran policymaker who played a key role in advancing cross-border trade and elevating agriculture on regional and continental agendas, including his key role in advancing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Who should apply?
The Africa Food Prize looks to celebrate individuals, institutions or initiatives that are:
- Reducing hunger or improving food and nutrition security in measurable ways
- Providing sustainable sources of income or employment
- Demonstrating scalable, replicable, and sustainable impact
- Leading with vision, perseverance, and collaboration—even in the face of challenges
Help us recognise the pioneers rewriting Africa’s food story and give their ideas the spotlight they deserve.
Nominations close 30 June 2025. Nominate now via africafoodprize.org
