Africa Food Prize

The Africa Food Prize, originally the Yara Prize, is an annual award for contributions to African agriculture.[1]

Yara Prize

Yara International, a Norwegian chemical company and a large producer of fertilizer, established the Yara Prize for a Green Revolution in Africa in 2005. According to the company, "The Yara Prize aims at celebrating significant achievements related to food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture with a transformative power."[2]

The first recipient was Meles Zenawi, prime minister of Ethiopia.[3][4] The choice of recipient received criticism in Norway from human rights organisations and exiled Ethiopians, due to his political history.[5][6][7][8] About 1 000 people demonstrated against the award being given to him.[8] Human Rights Watch stated that

Indeed, Prime Minister Meles has poured more resources into agricultural development than most African leaders. But as Human Rights Watch has found, the prime minister’s government exploits its control over fertilizer and other vital agricultural inputs to keep the country’s huge rural population under tight political control.[9]

Africa Food Prize

In 2016, the Yara Prize became the Africa Food Prize, a $100,000 annual award.[10][11] As of 2021, the Africa Food Price Committee is chaired by Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria.[12]

The first Africa Food Price winner was Kayano F. Nwanze, president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Obasanjo stated that "Dr. Nwanze's accomplishments on behalf of African farmers are a reminder of what's possible when you combine passion, good ideas, commitment, focus, hard work and dedication."[13][14]

References
  1. Lia N., Poteet; Keck, Aries (11 September 2020). "Catherine Nakalembe Selected as a 2020 Africa Food Prize Laureate | NASA Applied Sciences". Earth Science Applied Sciences. NASA. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  2. "Yara Prize celebrates 10-year anniversary". Yara. Yara International. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  3. "Ethiopian PM wins Norwegian prize dedicated to Africa - Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan". Sudan Tribune. 20 July 2005. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  4. "Yara: the fertiliser giant causing climate catastrophe – Corporate Watch". Corporate Watch. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  5. Løvlie, Anders Sundnes (27 August 2005). "Vurderer å droppe skandalepris". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  6. "Kjøpt miljøpris". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). 30 August 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  7. Bang, Heidi Katrine (3 September 2005). "Yara erkjenner at bønder fengsles". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  8. Åmås, Knut Olav (4 September 2005). "Velregissert PR-show for Yara". Aftenposten (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  9. Albin-Lackey, Chris (5 September 2005). "The Dark Side of Ethiopia's "Green Revolution"". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  10. "Turning Yara Prize into Africa Food Prize". Yara. Yara International. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  11. "Africa: Andre Bationo and Catherine Nakalembe Awarded the 2020 Africa Food Prize". AllAfrica. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  12. "Ugandan Doctor wins Africa's Food Award". East African Business Week. 11 September 2020. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  13. "INTERVIEW: 'If we don't act now, the future will not be in our hands' – UN rural development agency chief". UN News. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  14. "Head of UN rural poverty agency wins inaugural Africa Food Prize, dedicates it to "millions of African women who silently toil to feed their families"". UN News. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
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