Two Women Scientists Win 2025 Africa Food Prize for Groundbreaking Work in Agri-Food Systems

Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo of Nigeria was recognized for her groundbreaking contributions to cassava and yam seed systems. Through her leadership at GoSeed Ltd, she adapted and commercialized Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponic technology, enabling the mass production of millions of disease-free, high-quality planting materials. These innovations have significantly increased crop yields, strengthened value chains, and empowered farmers and agripreneurs across Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking after receiving the award, Dr. Diebiru-Ojo expressed her gratitude and commitment: “Today, I feel so blessed. I feel very grateful being a recipient of the African Food Prize Award for 2025. As a laureate, it shows that indeed the work that I'm doing on the crops that I'm working on has been recognized. I know that this is the start of more work, and I'm going to do that.”

She also highlighted the significance of women’s leadership in agriculture: “I’m especially grateful that the two laureates for this year are women. This shows the significant role that women are playing in the space of agriculture. It’s giving more encouragement to more women to come into the space and show that we can do more, we can create the impact, we can create the difference.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Diebiru-Ojo stated: “What next is to do more. I’m not going to limit myself to just Nigeria. We are working on improving and expanding what we are doing to other African countries. We must ensure that the varieties being developed address issues like climate change and get to the intended users and industries.”

Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo from Nigeria and Professor Mary Abukutsa Onyango from Kenya Win 2025 Africa Food Prize for Groundbreaking Work in Agri-Food Systems

Professor Mary Abukutsa Onyango of Kenya was honored for over three decades of research and advocacy on African indigenous vegetables. Her work repositioned crops such as amaranth, spider plant, and African nightshade as vital superfoods for combating malnutrition, conserving biodiversity, and building resilience against climate change. Onyango’s advocacy has changed how these crops are valued in nutrition and agricultural systems across the continent.

Reflecting on the award, Professor Onyango said: “Being a laureate of the Africa Food Prize, I feel very humbled and encouraged because African indigenous vegetables have been undervalued and they have not been used. With this prize, I think many people will realize that these vegetables are very important. African indigenous vegetables are a gold mine to be harvested for the Africans and for the world.”

On what makes this achievement special for women, she added: “For a long time, women have played an important part in transforming agriculture, from keeping the seeds from our grandparents and so on. This prize shows that their work is recognized. It will boost women farmers, consumers, and even the youth who are trying to grow these vegetables and get money from it.”

Professor Onyango explained what set her apart: “I was not working as a typical researcher. I worked with farmers, policy makers, students, and everybody along the value chain. Inclusivity helped me bring many people together and ensured that technologies were developed and taken up by farmers. This improved productivity in Kenya by 200% within 10 years.”

Looking ahead, she revealed ambitious plans: “We are planning, if funds are available, to document all African indigenous vegetables across Africa and have pictures so people know about them. We also want to establish centers of excellence for indigenous vegetables in Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and every country, so that anybody can access information and promote these crops for consumption and commercialization.”

Speaking at the press conference in Dakar, former Tanzanian President H.E. Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Chair of the Africa Food Prize Committee, praised the laureates as the very best of African innovation, adding that their achievements highlight the importance of science, technology, and traditional knowledge in driving transformation.

Established in 2005 as the YARA Prize and renamed in 2016, the Africa Food Prize celebrates bold initiatives that improve food security and agricultural sustainability across Africa.

This year’s recognition underscores a powerful message: Africa’s food future depends not only on innovation but also on elevating indigenous crops and empowering local communities.

The 2025 Africa Food Prize Winners Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo and Professor Mary Abukutsa Onyango stand as a testament to this vision.

Dr. Mercy Elohor Diebiru-Ojo of Nigeria and Prof. Mary Oyiela Abukutsa-Onyango of Kenya are leading African agricultural scientists whose work has advanced food security across the continent. Dr. Diebiru-Ojo, awarded the 2025 Africa Food Prize, has transformed cassava breeding by improving flowering and seed production, phenotyping over 700 genotypes, and strengthening stem multiplication and breeder seed systems in Nigeria through the NextGen project at Cornell University and Prof. Abukutsa-Onyango, inspired by a childhood allergy to animal proteins, has pioneered research on African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) to combat malnutrition, mentoring generations of students and promoting the health and sustainability benefits of crops like amaranth and African nightshade through her work at Maseno University and JKUAT.

Dr. Mercy Elohor Diebiru-Ojo is transforming cassava in Africa

Prof. Mary Oyiela Abukutsa-Onyango champions nutrition and wellbeing

Celebrating Africa’s agricultural heroes: Innovators transforming food security, nutrition, and sustainability across the continent