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Obasanjo, Akinwumi, others pledge to boost food systems in Africa

By Chukwuma Muanya
10 September 2021   |   3:01 am
Africa leaders including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed and African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

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Nigeria’s Salamatu Garba, Gabriel Eze, others win 2021 Africa Food Prize

Africa leaders including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, and African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina have committed to boosting agricultural production in Africa.

The leaders were hosted by former Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Chair of Allied for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Partners Group, Hailemariam Desalegn, at the AGRF 2021 Summit.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, who chaired the session, urged African nations to work together to accelerate action and deliver on commitments to enhance the resilience of food systems.

Adesina noted: “To fully unlock the potential of agriculture in Africa, we must raise productivity; ensure value chains are well developed; develop infrastructure; and boost the private sector to produce healthy, nutritious and affordable food.”

At the summit, winners of the 2021 Africa Food Prize, as well as GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize and Women Agri-prenuers of the Year Award (WAYA) that recognise youth-led and women-led agribusinesses, were announced.

The $50,000 grand prizes in the GoGettaz Agriprenuer Prize were won by Tracy Kimathi, founder of Tree_Sea.mals, in the female category; and Nshimiyimana Alexandre, co-founder of Sanit Wing Ltd in Rwanda in the male category.

Recipients of the Impact Social and Environmental Awards for 2021, each with a cash prize of $2,500 are Fily Keita, co-founder, and CEO of Agrowomen in Mali; Diana Orembe, co-founder and CEO of NovFeed in Tanzania; Gabriel Eze, co-founder and COO of Rural Farmers Hub in Nigeria; and Costantine Edward, founder of AgriLife in Tanzania.

Founder and executive director of Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) Nigeria, Dr. Haja Salamatu Garba, won the grand prize, while Beatrice Nkatha, founder and managing director of Sorghum Pioneer Agencies, Kenya, was named first runner-up with Linda Kudakwashe Manyeza, the founding director of Food Masters South Africa emerging second runner-up.

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