The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has been awarded the Norman E. Borlaug Medallion by the World Food Prize Foundation in recognition of its two decades of work advancing food systems transformation across Africa.
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.
The recognition highlights AGRA’s efforts to strengthen food systems, expand opportunities for millions of smallholder farmers, and advance the vision of Dr. Norman Borlaug, widely regarded as the father of the Green Revolution.
Presenting the medallion, World Food Prize Foundation President Mashal Husain said the award honours an institution that has demonstrated Africa’s growing capacity to drive its own agricultural 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 coincides with AGRA’s 20th anniversary, describing it as a milestone for an organisation that has played a central role in advancing food and nutrition security on the continent.
Accepting the award, AGRA President Alice Ruhweza described the recognition as a reflection of collective effort across governments, partners, staff, and farming communities over the past two decades.
“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.
She acknowledged the contribution of AGRA’s leadership and partners, including former President Dr. Agnes Kalibata, whose tenure helped shape the institution’s direction.
Ruhweza dedicated the award to smallholder farmers across Africa, particularly women farmers.
“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,” she said.
She added that Dr Borlaug’s vision of taking agricultural innovation to Africa and directly to farmers continues to guide AGRA’s work.
The World Food Prize Foundation awards the Borlaug Medallion to individuals and institutions whose work reflects Dr Borlaug’s legacy of science-driven and farmer-centred agricultural development.
This year’s recognition comes as AGRA marks 20 years of supporting smallholder farmers, strengthening national food systems, and promoting inclusive agricultural transformation across Africa.
