Kenyan Researcher Prof. Mary Abukutsa-Onyango Honoured with 2025 Africa Food Prize
In a memorable moment at the ongoing African Food Systems Forum 2025 in Dakar, Senegal, Professor Mary Abukutsa-Onyango of Kenya has been named a joint recipient of the prestigious 2025 Africa Food Prize, sharing the US $100,000 award with Nigeria’s Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo.
The prize was unveiled as a recognition of exceptional leadership and pioneering contributions to sustainable food systems across the continent.
At the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), where she conducts her research work, Prof. Abukutsa-Onyango has devoted over three decades to researching and championing African indigenous leafy vegetables—including amaranth, spider plant, African nightshade, and jute mallow—as vital tools to boost nutrition, food security, and livelihoods in East Africa.
Her groundbreaking work has not only introduced these nutrient-rich “superfoods” into national health policies but also led to the development and registration of new varieties adapted to varied local conditions, enabling farmers to earn sustainable incomes even amid climatic unpredictability.
Reflecting on her achievement, Prof. Abukutsa-Onyango humbly stated that “this award belongs to the countless farmers, students, and scientists who have kept indigenous knowledge alive and adapted it to modern needs.”
She emphasizes her vision that every African household should have access to diverse, nutritious food grown from the continent’s own biodiversity.
Her co-laureate, Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo of Nigeria, received equal acclaim for her pioneering Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponic (SAH) method, which enables rapid propagation of disease-free cassava and yam planting material—a significant advancement in improving yields and farming resilience across West Africa.
The Africa Food Prize, established in 2016 as the successor to the Yara Prize, is the continent’s foremost agriculture and food-systems award. Sponsored by AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), it recognizes individuals and institutions whose innovations can be scaled to transform food production from subsistence to prosperity.
Jakaya Kikwete, Chair of the Prize Committee and former President of Tanzania, praised the honorees for embodying “the very best of African innovation, demonstrating that true transformation lies not only in major crops but also in elevating the seeds, systems, and knowledge that sustain our continent’s future”.
This joint recognition for Prof. Abukutsa-Onyango and Dr. Diebiru-Ojo underscores the critical role of indigenous crops and improved seed systems in shaping a resilient, nutritious, and equitable agricultural future for Africa.
