Africa Celebrates Women Scientists Revolutionizing the Continent’s Food Security

The Africa Food Prize is Africa’s premier recognition for transformative achievements in agriculture and food systems. Established in 2016 as the successor to the Yara Prize, the annual US$100,000 award celebrates bold initiatives that turn farming from mere subsistence into a thriving enterprise. It shines a bright spotlight on Africans who are eradicating hunger, creating jobs, and driving prosperity—proving that innovation, science, and homegrown solutions can reshape the continent’s food landscape.

The Africa Food Prize recently honored the groundbreaking work of two African women in advancing local crops and nutrition, demonstrating its enduring relevance. Awarded annually at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF)—with this year’s ceremony held in Dakar, Senegal—the prize continues to inspire a new generation of leaders who are boldly transforming Africa’s agriculture, feeding communities, and securing the continent’s future.

African Currents engaged the latest Africa Food Prize winners from Kenya and Nigeria to discuss their pioneering work and paths to success.

Professor Mary Abukutsa of the Department of Horticulture and Food Security at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture is a seasoned horticulturist recognized for her research and promotion of African leafy vegetables such as amaranth, spider plant, and African nightshade.

"I'll use Kenya as an example. Currently, we are producing about 300,000 metric tons of various African indigenous vegetables which are normally consumed locally. So my presumption is that if they are being consumed locally, they must be contributing to food security in Kenya and the same occurs in other African countries," Professor Abukutsa said.

Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo, a professional plant breeder and seed system specialist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Nigeria, was honored for her pioneering use of Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponic (SAH) technology in cassava and yam seed systems.

"The technology I'm working with that helped me gain this award. It's called the semi autotrophic hydroponics. It was not all-time rosy. There were times that people were like it was not going to succeed and all of that. But we had to you know, get our hands really dirty went through series of modification of the technology and all of that and now several countries are looking for it and it's also replicable," Dr. Diebiru-Ojo noted.

Want to hear more from our guests? Catch the full conversation on the African Currents podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.

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