2025 Top Agri-food Pioneers

In celebration of its 39th anniversary, the World Food Prize Foundation proudly presents the 2025 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP). The TAP trailblazers, representing 27 countries, are driving change in agriculture and global food security and form the second TAP cohort. They will be recognized at the 2025 Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa. 

Wale Adekunle Nigeria | Agricultural Research and Development Wale Adekunle has revolutionized Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) by developing the Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) framework and pioneering the Innovation Platform (IP) model. Unlike traditional top-down research approaches, his model brings together farmers, researchers, policymakers, agribusinesses and financial institutions into a multi-stakeholder system that ensures practical, scalable... [ View ]

Zeinab Ahmad Al Momany Jordan | Women's Empowerment Aware of the limited income-generating opportunities in Ajloun, Jordan, Zeinab Ahmad Al Momany founded the Sakhrah Women’s Society Cooperative in 2003. The cooperative started with small projects such as harvesting and drying vegetables, cleaning grains, packaging crops, dairy production and needlework. The cooperative then started offering revolving loans to members... [ View ]

Abdul Awal Bangladesh | Seed Production Until the 1990s, Bangladesh faced poor seed production and supply, resulting in low yields. Recognizing the need for quality seeds to enhance food security, Abdul Awal, Chairman of Multimode Group, established Lal Teer Seed Limited in 1995. The company now supplies 30% of Bangladesh’s seed demand. To improve nutrition and... [ View ]

Michael Barron United States | Regenerative Agriculture Michael Barron developed a comprehensive global regenerative agriculture technology stack at Bayer, which integrates advanced sampling, sensing and modeling technologies. He has created a robust Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MMRV) system, enabling precise quantification of global environmental and economic outcomes. His impact is demonstrable across nearly 4 million acres... [ View ]

Hugo Campos Chile | Roots, Tubers and Bananas Research Hugo Campos is the Deputy Director General, Science and Innovation at the International Potato Center. Campos emphasizes the second green revolution for roots, tubers and bananas (RTB), and his research has spearheaded the increased awareness, support, and impact of these crops. Known as "survivor crops," these crops are prim. Campos’s... [ View ]

Neal Carter Canada | Genetic Engineering Neal Carter founded Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF) as a biotech startup to modernize the apple industry and reduce food waste. Under his leadership, OSF developed a nonbrowning apple though it took 22 years to get the first genetically engineered apple on the market. Carter brought similar tenacity to his first... [ View ]

Phindi Cebukhulu-Msomi South Africa | Hydroponics Phindi Cebekhulu-Msomi works in hydroponics, renewable energy and water management. As the Group CEO of Hazile Group, she has pioneered sustainable agricultural solutions, including the Eco-Farm Pod—an innovative, modular farming system using recycled materials and solar energy to enhance food production in water-scarce environments. Her leadership extends beyond business, driving... [ View ]

Evangelista Chekera Zimbabwe | Poultry Brooding Technology Determined to address high chick mortality rates on smallholder farms in Zimbabwe, Evangelista Chekera launched her own poultry project in 2016, conducting extensive research, including travelling to neighboring countries to learn best practices. By 2017, she developed a chick brooding device designed to reduce mortality rates by 95%, mimicking the... [ View ]

Jason Cope USA | Pollination Technology Jason Cope's groundbreaking work in developing innovative pollination technology for corn, wheat and rice has the potential to revolutionize global food security and agricultural productivity for growers around the world. In 2015, Jason and his co-founder established PowerPollen with a mission to solve one of the last challenges in modern... [ View ]

Magdi Elsayed Egypt | Agriculture for Arid Environments Magdi Elsayed has led transformative work in environmental stress management, precision agriculture and high-throughput phenotyping. He applies cutting-edge tools such as infrared thermography, spectral imaging, AI-driven genotype selection and smart irrigation systems to boost crop resilience in arid and semi-arid environments. His leadership in EU-funded projects like SIRRIMED has pushed... [ View ]

Catherine Feuillet France | Wheat Genomics Catherine Feulliet’s work impacts agriculture in a multitude of ways, from advancing society’s genomic understanding of wheat to using pioneering gene-editing tools to help ensure food security for a growing global population while better caring for our planet. In 2004, she joined the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)... [ View ]

Rikin Gandhi USA | Agricultural Extension Rikin Gandhi, CEO of Digital Green, has revolutionized agricultural extension through digital technology, improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. By integrating AI, video-based learning and community participation, he has pioneered cost-effective systems that respect farmers’ agency while delivering critical information at scale. His work has demonstrably increased farmer productivity by... [ View ]

Avijit Ghosh India | Pastureland Restoration Avijit Ghosh conducts groundbreaking research and promotes technological advancements in sustainable land and natural resource management. Ghosh and his team have successfully restored community pasturelands in 15 villages across four Indian states and designed low-intensity rotational grazing strategies for sustaining soil health. Their research in carbon sequestration potential across 21... [ View ]

Peter Alastair Hicks Australia & United Kingdom | Traditional Food Product Industry Development Peter Alastair Hicks exemplifies transformative leadership and innovation through the development and implementation of a scalable Village Level Food Processing Concept across the Mekong sub-region. By training core teams of people in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), they catalyzed grassroots networks—empowering over 1,600 community-level trainers and counting. Their... [ View ]

Manzoor Hussain Dar India | Rice Seed Manzoor Hussain Dar has contributed to global food and nutritional security through his innovations in disseminating improved crop varieties and building climate-resilient food systems. At the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), he spearheaded fast-tracking dissemination of stress-tolerant rice, reaching more than 3 million farmers through extensive engagement and strategic partnerships.... [ View ]

Inga Jacobs-Mata South Africa | Agri-business Acceleration Inga Jacobs-Mata is the Deputy Director of CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program and Director of Water, Growth and Inclusion for the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Jacobs-Mata pioneers science-based, locally grounded innovations by blending global research with local culture to solve real-world agrifood challenges. Through the Ukama Ustawi Initiative— meaning... [ View ]

Nawa Joe Silishebo Zambia | Youth Empowerment Nawa Joe Silishebo is a leading advocate for Climate Smart Agriculture and Agroecology, recognized for empowering young farmers and women entrepreneurs across Zambia. As Co-founder and Projects Director of the Young Emerging Farmers Initiative (YEFI), he promotes drought-resistant crops, regenerative practices, and market access solutions. His work through initiatives like... [ View ]

Sanjeev Kapoor India | Culinary Arts, School Nutrition Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is a renowned culinary innovator and humanitarian, using his influence to combat malnutrition and promote sustainable nutrition across India. Through his partnership with HarvestPlus Solutions on the Nutri-Pathshala initiative, he has helped deliver over 2.5 million biofortified, nutrient-rich meals to more than 150,000 schoolchildren in rural states... [ View ]

Ermias Kebreab Eritrea | Dairy Production Ermias Kebreab is a globally recognized expert in sustainable dairy science and livestock emissions reduction, with over 25 years of pioneering research in animal nutrition and environmental sustainability. As a Professor and Sesnon Endowed Chair at the University of California, Davis, and current Director of its World Food Center, he... [ View ]

Linda Kinkel USA | Crop Protection Linda Kinkel is a leading expert in plant microbiomes and sustainable agriculture, with over three decades of groundbreaking research in soil and endophytic microbial communities. A Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota since 1990, she has advanced scientific understanding of microbial interactions critical to plant health. She... [ View ]

Wassima Lakhdari Algeria | Sustainable Agriculture Wassima Lakhdari is a leading agricultural scientist in Algeria with over 12 years of research experience at the National Institute of Agronomic Research of Algeria (INRAA). She is best known for developing Biotoug, Algeria’s first biofungicide, a groundbreaking achievement that took seven years of dedicated research and now offers farmers... [ View ]

Jim Leape USA | Aquaculture Jim Leape is a globally respected leader in sustainability, with over four decades of experience advancing systemic change across food, conservation, and development sectors. As former Director General of WWF International, he led one of the world’s largest conservation networks, forging global partnerships and driving sustainable practices across industries and... [ View ]

Stephen Long United Kingdom | Photosynthetic Efficiency Stephen Long is a world-renowned plant scientist whose groundbreaking research in photosynthesis and crop resilience has positioned him at the forefront of global agri-food innovation. A leading advocate for sustainable food security, he directs the $70 million Gates Foundation-funded RIPE (Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency) project, which engineers crops like soybean... [ View ]

Glindys Virginia Luciano Dominican Republic & USA | Food Systems Advocacy Glindys Virginia Luciano is a rising leader in agri-food systems and climate resilience, known for building transformative global coalitions and advancing equitable food policies. She currently leads the Action on Food Hub at EIT Food, coordinating over 40 partners—including governments, businesses, and civil society—to shape food and climate agendas at... [ View ]

Robyn Camille Mijares Philippines | Agriculture Education Robyn Camille Mijares is a visionary agri-food systems innovator empowering Filipino youth to lead the fight against hunger through sustainable agriculture and education. As Founder of Grow School Philippines (the country’s first bamboo-built, solar-powered farm school) she has equipped over 98,000 students across 42 public schools with training in climate-smart... [ View ]

Aadith Moorthy India | Soil Health Aadith Moorthy is a transformative force in regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems, whose technical background in machine learning and materials science allowed him to pioneer a new approach to soil carbon sequestration and measurement. As the founder and CEO of Boomitra, Moorthy has leveraged AI, satellite technology and remote... [ View ]

Editha Mshiu Tanzania | Food Storage Editha Msishu is a pioneering force in agri-food innovation, serving as CEO of Freshpack Technologies and inventor of the patented Freshpack Box- a smart-fabric cooling solution that extends vegetable shelf life by 50%. Her work directly benefits smallholder farmers and market vendors by reducing food waste and increasing income. Under... [ View ]

Sandi Pamungkas Indonesia | Livestock Management Sandi Pamungkas is the founder and visionary behind MooApps, an AI-powered platform transforming livestock management by addressing key challenges such as health monitoring, market access, and farmer financial instability. MooApps offers real-time livestock health tracking, data-driven decision-making tools, and an integrated marketplace- empowering farmers to improve productivity and reduce animal... [ View ]

Boddupalli Maruthi Prasanna India | Maize Genetics Boddupalli Maruthi Prasanna is an agricultural scientist whose pioneering contributions to maize genetics, breeding and seed systems have significantly advanced food security and agricultural resilience in Africa, Asia and Latin America. With over three decades of experience, Prasanna has played a crucial role in developing climate-resilient maize varieties, strengthening seed systems... [ View ]

Viviana Perego Italy & Uruguay | School Nutrition Viviana Perego is an innovative leader in agriculture and food security in Central America with a focus on linking smallholder farmers with markets for nutritious foods. In collaboration with the World Food Programme and the Guatemalan government, she spearheaded the development of a digital tool called Digitagro to link women... [ View ]

Ilenys Perez-Diaz Puerto Rico | Food Fermentation Ilenys Pérez-Díaz is a global leader in sustainable food innovation, specializing in microbiome-driven fermentation technologies to reduce vegetable waste. Over the past 20 years, she has developed and scaled low- and no-salt fermentation systems, including the first commercially viable salt-free cucumber fermentation process. Her work has produced a bank of... [ View ]

Joyce Rugano Kenya | Fertilizer Production from Organic Waste Joyce Rugano is the founder and CEO of Ecorich Solutions, a pioneering agri-tech enterprise transforming organic waste into value through innovative technology. She is the inventor of the Wastebot, an AI- and solar-powered, sensor-based device that converts organic waste into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer within 24 hours. Her work has significantly... [ View ]

Mo Segad Sweden | Soil Nanotechnology Mo Segad is a distinguished soil scientist, inventor and AgTech pioneer recognized for groundbreaking contributions to climate-smart and resilient desert agriculture. With over two decades of innovative research, he has illuminated the complex dynamics of soil-water and clay-water interactions, leading to the development of innovative, nature-based technologies such as Liquid... [ View ]

Richard Seshie Cote d'Ivoire | Postharvest Storage and Processing Richard Seshie, founder of ASSOCIATION 3535, is transforming rural agriculture in Côte d’Ivoire by empowering farmers with low-carbon “Agricare Farmer Centers.” These multifunctional hubs offer solar-powered cold storage, drying units, and grinding facilities, significantly reducing post-harvest losses, as high as 40%, and cutting emissions. Built by local youth trained in... [ View ]

Christine D. Sprunger Haiti | Nematodes for Soil Health Christine Sprunger is a leading researcher in regenerative agriculture and soil health, whose work has transformed sustainable farming systems. She developed novel methodologies to use nematodes as bioindicators for soil health, linking soil biodiversity to productivity, carbon storage, and climate resilience. Her studies, including in Global Change Biology and Soil... [ View ]

Jean Baptiste De La Salle Tignegre Burkina Faso | Insect-Resistant Cowpea Driven by a vision for a food-secure Africa, Jean Baptiste Tignegre is a leading force in plant breeding and genetics (marker-assisted selection) on the continent. Tignegre has demonstrated leadership, collaboration and persistence in his pursuit of innovative vegetable and pulse varieties most critical to farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Most notably,... [ View ]

Emily Weeks USA | Public Policy Emily Weeks is a global leader in climate resilience, natural resource governance, and food security. She has shaped major U.S. policies, including the Global Food Security Strategy and the $50M Comprehensive Action for Climate Change Initiative (CACCI), supporting climate commitments in over 40 countries. A driving force behind sustainable agriculture,... [ View ]

Patricia Wolff USA | Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food In a country facing chronic malnutrition and instability, Patricia Wolff built a global model of sustainable development involving agricultural innovation, local manufacturing and nutrition science. In 2004, she founded Meds & Food for Kids (MFK) to fight severe malnutrition in Haiti by producing life-saving Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) locally. Her... [ View ]

Jianchu Xu China | Agroforestry Jianchu Xu is a distinguished ethnoecologist and internationally recognized fungi taxonomist, celebrated for his pioneering work in sustainable mountain development. As a principal scientist at the World Agroforestry Center and a leading researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he has spearheaded transformative initiatives that blend indigenous knowledge with cutting-edge... [ View ]