Two young Ugandan innovators have won international recognition and a cash prize of EUR 20,000 (about Shs83 million) for their groundbreaking work on reducing post-harvest fruit losses in tropical regions.
Sandra Namboozo, 26, and Samuel Muyita, 28, were awarded the Community Healers Prize at the 2025 European Patent Office (EPO) Young Inventors Prize ceremony held in Reykjavik, Iceland.
The duo’s invention, Karpolax, is a biodegradable sachet that uses plant-based compounds to delay fruit ripening and prevent spoilage—without the need for cold storage.
Developed while the pair were studying agricultural science at Makerere University, Karpolax has helped reduce post-harvest fruit losses in Uganda by over 40%.
Since its launch in 2020, the innovation has reportedly saved more than one million tonnes of fruit from going to waste.
“Winning a special prize is a powerful validation, not just of our work, but of the farmers we serve every day,” the pair said in a joint statement.
“This recognition fuels our mission to ensure that no harvest goes to waste and that every farmer, no matter how small, has a fair shot at prosperity.”
Karpolax works by slowly releasing natural compounds extracted from cloves, lemongrass, eucalyptus, and wintergreen.
These substances help slow down ethylene—the hormone responsible for ripening—and combat mould, bacteria, and fungi.
Trials with Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) showed that mangoes treated with Karpolax had their shelf life extended from 11 to 33 days.
“In Uganda, if farmers are not using Karpolax, they are not using anything… Without refrigeration, products will go to waste,” Muyita explained.
“We have seen a reduction in wastage of over 40%."
So far, Karpolax has reached over 100 farmers, 250 fruit vendors, and 20 exporters. The innovators are now working on expanding the solution to other perishables like pineapples, capsicum, and berries.
The EPO Young Inventors Prize celebrates youth-driven innovations that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Karpolax was recognised for its contribution to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
Other winners at the 2025 event included Marie Perrin (France/USA) in the World Builders category and American sisters Neeka and Leila Mashouf in the Nature Guardians category.
The awards ceremony was streamed live globally to highlight innovation by young change-makers.