20 Years of Impact: AGRA receives global recognition for transforming Africa’s food systems

NAIROBI, Kenya: AGRA has been awarded the Norman E. Borlaug Medallion by the World Food Prize Foundation, in recognition of the institution’s two decades of contribution to advancing food systems transformation across the continent.

The award was presented on June 30, 2026, during the World Food Prize Foundation DialogueNEXT Africa – Born to Feed the Future event held in Nairobi, Kenya, celebrating AGRA’s role in strengthening food systems, expanding opportunity for millions of farming families, and advancing the vision of Dr. Norman Borlaug, the father of the Green Revolution, whose call to “take it to Africa, take it to the farmer” has guided the institution’s work since its founding.

Presenting the medallion, World Food Prize Foundation President Mashal Husain said the recognition honours an institution that has demonstrated Africa’s capacity to lead its own transformation.

“Inspired by Dr Borlaug’s dream of a green revolution for Africa, this institution has worked alongside governments, researchers, businesses, and development partners to strengthen food systems and expand opportunity for millions of farming families,” Husain said. “Perhaps its greatest contribution has been helping demonstrate that Africa’s future will be shaped by African leadership, African innovation, and African solutions.”

Husain noted that the recognition comes as AGRA marks its 20th anniversary. “AGRA has become one of the continent’s most influential forces advancing food and nutrition security, and in many ways, it reflects one of Dr Borlaug’s final and most enduring hopes: an Africa that can feed itself, nourish its people, and help feed a growing world.”

Accepting the award, AGRA President Alice Ruhweza described the recognition as a tribute to two decades of collective effort rather than any single institution or individual.

“Thank you, President Mashal Husain, and the World Food Prize Foundation, for this generous and deeply meaningful recognition. I receive it with great humility, and with gratitude for the confidence it represents in AGRA’s work and in Africa’s agricultural transformation journey,” Ruhweza said.

“I accept this recognition on behalf of AGRA’s Board and staff, our founding donors, our founding Board and management, our past Chairs and Presidents, and the many partners who have walked this journey with us over the past twenty years.”

Ruhweza singled out Dr. Agnes Kalibata, who led AGRA for a decade of its history and was present at the ceremony. “Agnes, your visionary leadership helped shape the institution AGRA is today, and we honour that contribution.”

She dedicated the recognition to the small-scale farming enterprises that AGRA works alongside every day. “Above all, I accept this recognition on behalf of the millions of farmers AGRA is privileged to serve, especially the women farmers whose resilience, enterprise and labour sustain families, communities and food systems across Africa.”

“Norman Borlaug’s call to ‘take it to Africa, take it to the farmer’ has guided so much of this work,” she said. “For twenty years, AGRA has sought to help realise that dream, and we remain committed to carrying it forward with urgency, humility and hope.”

The World Food Prize Foundation awards the Norman E. Borlaug Medallion to individuals and institutions whose work embodies Dr Borlaug’s legacy of science-driven, farmer-centred agricultural progress.

This year’s recognition of AGRA coincides with the institution’s 20th anniversary and its continued work of supporting smallholder farmers, strengthening national food systems, and advancing inclusive, market-driven agricultural transformation across the continent.