By Jimoh Babatunde
Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Wednesday in Ghana, launched a prestigious new award called the Africa Food Prize in presence of highlevel officials from across Africa, led by former Nigerian President H.E Olusegun Obasanjo.

Agnes Kalibata, AGRA President disclosed that the US $100,000 accolade will recognize outstanding individuals and institutions that are changing the reality of farming in Africa from a struggle to survive to a business that thrives.

“Winners will be selected by a panel of independent and distinguished leaders in African agriculture chaired by President H.E Obasanjo.

“The Africa Food Prize will shine a bright spotlight on bold initiatives and technical innovations that can be replicated across the continent to help millions of smallholder farmers deliver a new era of sustainable food security and economic opportunity. It’s a successor of the Yara Prize, which was first established by Yara International ASA in 2005.

She added that the Africa Food Prize builds on the values and principles of the Yara Prize by giving the most prestigious award in African agriculture a distinct African identity and African ownership. The award is being funded jointly by AGRA and Yara.

“We encourage you to embrace this opportunity to honor the best and brightest in African agriculture by nominating candidates for the Africa Food Prize who are dedicated to putting smallholder farmers at the center of Africas growing economies.”