40 Food Security Trailblazers Recognized by World Food Prize Foundation in Top Agri-food Pioneers List

Posted On: June 17, 2026
Posted By: Richmond Frimpong
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The third-annual cohort features awardees from 30 different countries across six continents

Des Moines, Iowa (June 17, 2026) – A total of 40 scientists, policymakers, community builders and innovators transforming food systems across the world have been named the 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP), announced today by the World Food Prize Foundation.

Now in its third year, the TAP list honors individuals driving bold and innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges in global food security. This year’s awardees span 30 countries and six continents — from Australia to Uzbekistan. The Pioneers range in age from 16 to 81 and represent a diverse mix of expertise from crop and livestock research, child nutrition, natural resources management and methane emissions reductions as well as novel areas like 3D and 4D food printing, AI applications and more.

The 40 Top Agri-food Pioneers also reflect the celebration of the World Food Prize Foundation’s 40th anniversary. All awardees will be formally recognized during the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, taking place October 20–22 in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Amidst the overlapping crises facing our food systems today, stabilizing global food and nutrition security is as urgent as it has ever been,” said Mashal Husain, President, World Food Prize Foundation. “The 2026 TAP cohort recognizes innovators who are delivering practical, science-driven solutions across a range of existing and emerging disciplines to build the resilient, sustainable and food secure planet we all deserve.”

Among the awardees are:

Chiedozie Egesi (Nigeria), 55 – a leading cassava breeder whose work has accelerated the development and dissemination of improved cassava varieties across Africa, including pro-vitamin A cassava.

Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg (Kenya), 47 – who has helped build the capacity of hundreds of African agricultural scientists and innovators, particularly women, and whose leadership has expanded investment in climate-resilient agricultural research

Hayden Montgomery (New Zealand), 47 – whose efforts have helped shape practical pathways for methane reductions in livestock and farming systems without compromising on productivity or sustainability

Anandharamakrishnan Chinnaswamy (India), 52 – whose research focuses on food processing, preservation and value addition technologies, improving methods for extending shelf life, reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing the quality and safety of processed foods

Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan), 51 – Uzbekistan’s Minister of Agriculture and a pioneer in crop genomics now building his country’s genomics research capacity

Uta Paszkowski (Germany), 61 – An internationally recognized plant scientist whose research has transformed understanding of beneficial relationships between crops and soil fungi, providing foundations for reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers while improving nutrient uptake and crop productivity

Donald MacKenzie (Canada), 70 – A global regulatory expert who has led partnerships that deploy improved crop varieties with enhanced nutrition, disease resistance and productivity for smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries

Josselyn Vega (Ecuador), 29 – An emerging leader focused on strengthening local food systems and creating opportunities for more inclusive and resilient agricultural value chains, particularly for younger generations and underserved communities

“This recognition is not a personal accolade but an affirmation that effective deployment of science and innovation and purposeful leadership can transform lives when translated into action,” said 2026 TAP honoree Chiedozie Egesi, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Root Crops Research Institute in Nigeria. “Research achieves its highest purpose when it transforms farms, feeds families and builds nations. It also honors the resilience of African farmers who, against all odds, continue to feed communities, strengthen economies and secure the continent’s future. Food security is not a dream but a deliberate choice.”

The announcement also comes ahead of the World Food Prize Foundation’s DialogueNEXT event taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 30, bringing together food systems stakeholders from around the world to find solutions for global hunger.

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Notes to editors:

Full list of 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers:

Maman Abdou | Niger | Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Tech-Innov

Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov | Uzbekistan | Minister of Agriculture, Republic of Uzbekistan

Jeffrey Appiagyei | Ghana | Co-founder and Team Lead, SAYeTECH

Gabriela Del Pilar Burgos Zapata | Peru | Senior Researcher and Head of the Quality and Nutrition Laboratory, International Potato Center

Anandharamakrishnan Chinnaswamy | India | Director, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, India

Chiedozie Egesi | Nigeria | Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Root Crops Research Institute, Nigeria

Fiona Flintan | United Kingdom | Senior Scientist Rangelands and Pastoralism, International Livestock Research Institute

Michael Hands | United Kingdom | Founder and Director, The Inga Foundation

AbduRahman Beshir Issa | Ethiopia | Senior Scientist, Seed Systems Specialist, CIMMYT

Marina Kamanzi | Rwanda | Chief Executive Officer, Kagezi Seed Company

Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg | Kenya | Managing Director for Africa, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture

Rudrojas Kunvar | United States | Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Evion

Winwin Kyi | Myanmar | President FoSTAM, International Academy of Food Science and Technology

Marco Maccaferri | Italy | Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna

Donald MacKenzie | Canada | Executive Director, Institute for International Crop Improvement (retired)

Steve Mantle | Australia | Owner and Founder, innov8.ag

Gonroudobou Marietta | Benin | Founder, Agro Hikari

Lourena Arone Maxwell | Mozambique | Scientist – Plant Pathology, World Vegetable Center

Gilbert Mbeh | Cameroon | Founder and Chief Technology Officer, PushNcare

Tara McHugh | United States | Pacific West Area Director, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service

Simon Mnyele | Tanzania | Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer, Lishe360

Hayden Montgomery | New Zealand | Program Director for Agriculture, Global Methane Hub

Raphael Mrode | Nigeria | Principal Scientist, Quantitative Dairy Cattle Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute

Willie Ng | Malaysia | Managing Director, Global Cerah

Wasamon Nutakul | Thailand | Head of Science and Technology, The Good Food Institute APAC

Alejandro Ortega-Beltran | Mexico | Senior Plant Pathologist, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Uta Paszkowski | Germany | Professor in Plant Molecular Genetics, University of Cambridge

Marian Dorcas Quain | Ghana | Deputy Director-General, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana

Yashpal Saharawat | India | Global Director, Resilience and Environment, International Fertilizer Development Center

Mayumi Sato | Japan | Young Scientist, World Food Forum

Abdoulaye Sawadogo | Burkina Faso | Director General, Neema Agricole du Faso

Corinne Scown | United States | Senior Scientist and Deputy for Research, Energy Analysis Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Rony Swennen | Germany | Banana Crop Lead, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Dror Tamir | Israel | Founder, Holy Locust

Rajeev Varshney | India | International Chair in Agriculture and Food Security, Murdoch University

Josselyn Veronica Vega Rojas | Ecuador | Coordinator, Association of Agroecological Producers of Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Chen-Pang Wu | Taiwan | Chairman, CH Bio R&D Co.

Liangzhi You | China | Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute

Curtis Youngs | United States | Morrill Professor, Iowa State University

Andrey Zarur | Mexico | Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, GreenLight Biosciences

About the World Food Prize: The World Food Prize is an international award that honors individuals who have improved the quality, quantity or availability of food worldwide. The Prize was founded by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, for his work that contributed to increases in agricultural outputs which was termed the Green Revolution. Since then, the Prize has been awarded to 56 distinguished individuals during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. The Dialogue, also known as the Borlaug Dialogue, is a week of events dedicated to an issue surrounding food insecurity or hunger each year.

Source:

Zachary Clemens
Senior Manager I, Communications

worldfoodprize.org

The Cooperative Force in Action: Implications of Socodevi’s 2026 Conference for Cooperative Development in Ghana

Posted On: June 30, 2026
Posted By: Richmond Frimpong

The recent Socodevi 2026 Conference, held on June 12 at Hôtel Le Bonne Entente in Québec City under the theme “The Cooperative Force: Joining Forces to Multiply Impact,” sends a strong message about the growing relevance of cooperative enterprises as vehicles for sustainable development. According to the conference report, Socodevi highlighted the achievements of its 34 projects worldwide, which collectively reached approximately 4.6 million people during the year. The gathering brought together member institutions, administrators, donors, partners, and stakeholders to review progress and strengthen collaboration. For Ghana, where cooperative development remains central to agricultural transformation, rural livelihoods, and local economic growth, the conference has significant implications. Reinforcing the Importance of Cooperative Models The theme of the conference emphasizes the power of collective action. In Ghana, cooperatives continue to play a crucial role in sectors such as cocoa, shea, cashew, fisheries, credit unions, and agribusiness. Socodevi’s reaffirmation of the cooperative model demonstrates that sustainable development is most effective when producers, communities, financial institutions, and development partners work together. The conference highlights a global recognition that cooperatives are not merely social organizations but viable economic enterprises capable of generating wealth, creating jobs, and improving resilience among vulnerable populations. Strengthening Agricultural Value Chains Socodevi has been actively involved in Ghana through projects such as PROCED in the Upper East Region, TogetHER in the Ashanti and Western North regions, and other initiatives that focus on cooperative governance, entrepreneurship, women’s economic empowerment, and agricultural development. The conference outcomes suggest that future interventions in Ghana will likely continue to prioritize professionalization of farmer organizations, improved cooperative governance, business-oriented management systems, market access enhancement, financial inclusion, climate resilience and risk management For Ghana’s cocoa sector in particular, these priorities are critical. As the industry faces challenges including climate change, aging farms, low productivity, and sustainability requirements, stronger cooperatives can serve as platforms for farmer training, access to finance, crop insurance, and certification schemes. Increased Opportunities for Development Partnerships The conference brought together donors and strategic partners from across the world. This demonstrates Socodevi’s ability to mobilize international support for cooperative development. For Ghana, this presents opportunities for: new development financing, technical assistance, knowledge transfer, innovation partnerships and South-South cooperation Local cooperatives and farmer-based organizations can benefit from exposure to international best practices and access to global networks that may otherwise be unavailable.