Prof. Ruth Oniang’o, founder and former executive director at Rural Outreach Africa is this year’s winner of the Africa Food Prize. Her non profit organization which was founded in 1993 works by connecting those with the intellectual skills on agriculture at university level with rural farmers. The relationship is aimed at boosting the livelihood of the farmers through knowledge of better farming methods.
The Africa Food Prize, formerly known as the Yara Prize recognizes those individuals whose efforts help to improve food security in Africa and reduce poverty through agricultural production. Prof. Oniang’o was honoured alongside Mme Maïmouna Sidibe Coulibaly from Mali at the African Green Revolution Forum that took place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Prof. Oniang’o is an advocate for nutrition, her career in research and academia spanning decades. She received her PhD. from the University of Nairobi in 1983 and taught at the Jommo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) as a a professor of food science and nutrition. Her extensive knowledge on nutrition has seen her represent Africa at international conferences such as World Nutrition Conference in 1992 and the World Food Summit in 1996.
She is also the editor and founder of the Africa Journal of Food, Agriculture and Development which publishes scholarly articles from individuals with keen interest in the area of agriculture.
The laureates will receive 100,000 USD as part of the prize.