Anunciados os principais pioneiros agroalimentares de 2025: 39 agentes de mudança de 27 países construindo um novo futuro para a alimentação
From Australia to Zimbabwe, 39 visionary scientists, farmers, policy advisors, entrepreneurs and humanitarians have been named to the 2025 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP) list, announced today by the Fundação Prêmio Mundial da Alimentação.
Now in its second year, the TAP list honors individuals driving bold and innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges in global food security. This year’s honorees span 27 countries and one territory and range in age from 20 to 79, representing a powerful cross-section of experience, geography and expertise.
The 2025 cohort is announced in celebration of the Foundation’s 39th anniversary. All honorees will be formally recognized during the 2025 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, taking place October 21–23 in Des Moines, Iowa.
“The 2025 TAP list showcases the extraordinary diversity, talent and resolve of individuals working across borders and disciplines to build a more sustainable and just global food system,” said Mashal Husain, President, World Food Prize Foundation. “In a world facing urgent and interwoven crises, these honorees are fearless changemakers driving impact where it matters most—and offering real hope for the future.”
The 2025 cohort represents a network of changemakers intended to be expanded each year to facilitate greater co-learning and collaboration across food systems.
Among the awardees are:
- Jean Baptiste De La Salle Tignegre (Burkina Faso), 60, a leading force in plant breeding and genetics at the African Agricultural Technology Foundation. Dr. Tignegre played a pivotal role in the development of Pod Borer-Resistant (PBR) cowpea – the first biotech food crop to be commercialized in Africa.
- Peter Alastair Hicks (Uganda, UK and Australia), 79, has devoted more than 60 years to improving food processing, storage and safety, working with institutes and universities across Asia and the Pacific and publishing more than 200 papers.
- Editha Mshiu (Tanzania), 28, CEO of Freshpack Technologies, who developed a patented Freshpack box, a non-electric, smart-fabric cooling solution that extends the shelf life of vegetables by 50%, directly benefiting smallholder farmers and market vendors—especially women.
- Sandi Pamungkas (Indonesia), 20, founded MooApps with the vision of transforming livestock management through digital innovation. Recognizing the potential of AI and IoT, he developed MooApps as a smart solution to provide real-time health monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and an integrated marketplace for livestock transactions.
- Emily Weeks (USA), 46, has led major innovative initiatives, including the US Government Global Food Security Strategy for Resilience, Climate and Natural Resource Management policy, USAID’s Nature-Based Solutions guidance, and the Land and Resource Governance Joint Statement. Weeks has mobilized more than $20 billion in private sector investments in energy and resilient infrastructure, driving large-scale sustainable development initiatives.
“I am elated and deeply honored to be inducted as a Top Agri-food Pioneer by the World Food Prize Foundation, a global beacon in food security and better livelihoods for farmers,” said Hugo Campos, Deputy Director General for Science & Innovation at the International Potato Center 2025 Top Agri-food Pioneer. “This recognition fuels my personal zeal to collaborate with the Foundation and others in advancing Dr. Norman Borlaug’s legacy— through extending the Green Revolution to more crops and solving the wicked problem of food and climate security for the benefit of farmers and urban communities.”
2025 TOP AGRI-FOOD PIONEERS:
- Wale Adekunle | Nigeria | President and CEO | Commonwealth Association for Agricultural Research and Development
- Zeinab Ahmad Al Momany | Jordan | The Head of the Specific Union of Women Farmers in Jordan
- Abdul Awal | Bangladesh | Chairman and CEO | Lal Teer Seed Ltd. and Lal Teer Livestock Development, Ltd.
- Michael Barron | USA | Global Technology Strategy and Innovation Lead, Ecosystem Services | Bayer Crop Science
- Hugo Campos | Chile | Deputy Director General, Science and Innovation | International Potato Center
- Neal Carter | Canada | CEO | Okanagan Specialty Fruits
- Phindi Cebukhulu Mosomi | South Africa | Group CEO | Hazile Group, Ltd.
- Evangelista Chekera | Zimbabwe | Founder and Managing Director; Lead Innovator | Passion Poultry
- Jason Cope | USA | Founder and CIPO | PowerPollen
- Magdi Elsayed | Egypt | Visiting Scholar | Prairie View A&M University
- Catherine Feuillet | France | Chief Scientific Officer | Inari
- Rikin Gandhi | USA | CEO | Digital Green
- Avijit Ghosh | India | Scientist | ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute
- Peter Alastair Hicks | Australia & UK | Honorary Elected Fellow | International Academy of Food Science and Technology
- Manzoor Hussain Dar | India | Global Head – Seed Systems, Principal Scientist | International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
- Inga Jacobs-Mata | South Africa | Deputy Director | Scaling for Impact Program and Director of Water-Growth and Inclusion | CGIAR International Water Management Institute
- Nawa Joe Silishebo | Zambia | Co-Founder and Projects Director | Young Emerging Farmers Initiative
- Sanjeev Kapoor | India | Culinary Icon, Humanitarian and Entrepreneur
- Ermias Kebreab | Eritrea | Distinguished Professor, Associate Dean; Director, World Food Center | University of California, Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- Linda Kinkel | USA | Founder and Chief Science Officer | Jord BioScience
- Wassima Lakhdari | Algeria | Research Director | National Institute of Agronomic Research of Algeria
- Jim Leape | USA | Co-director | Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions
- Stephen Long | United Kingdom | Ikenberry Endowed Chair Emeritus of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Glindys Virginia Luciano | Dominican Republic & USA | Project Manager, International and Strategic Relations | European Institute of Innovation & Technology Food
- Robyn Camille Mijares | Philippines | Founder and Executive Director | GROW SCHOOL
- Aadith Moorthy | India | Founder and CEO | Boomitra
- Editha Mshiu | Tanzania | CEO and co-founder | Freshpack Technologies
- Sandi Pamungkas | Indonesia | Founder | MooApps.id
- Viviana Perego | Italy and Uruguay | Senior Agriculture Economist | World Bank
- Ilenys Perez-Diaz | Puerto Rico | Microbiologist | United States Department of Agriculture
- Boddupalli Maruthi Prasanna | India | Distinguished Scientist and Regional Director for Asia | CIMMYT
- Joyce Rugano | Kenya | Founder and CEO | Ecorich Solutions Limited
- Mo Segad | Sweden | Chair, CEO and CSO | Waffle Forest & 3N BioTech
- Richard Seshie | Cote d’Ivoire | Founder | Association 3535
- Christine Sprunger | Haiti | Associate Professor of Soil Health, Michigan State University
- Jean Baptiste De La Salle Tignegre | Burkina Faso | Manager of the Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea Project; Representative West Africa, Nigeria Office | African Agricultural Technology Foundation
- Emily Weeks | USA | Senior Policy Advisor | USAID
- Patricia Wolff | USA | Founder, Board Member, Medical Advisor | Meds & Food for Kids
- Jianchu Xu | China | Distinguished Professor, Kunming Institute of Botany | Chinese Academy of Sciences
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