Deadline: December 31, 2026
Applications are open for the UN FAO Award for Innovation 2027. At its Forty-second session, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Conference decided to establish a “FAO Award for Innovation” to recognise ground-breaking innovation in areas under FAO’s mandate, open to a broad spectrum of awardees including Members and non-state partners.
Agricultural innovation is the process whereby individuals or organizations bring new or existing products, processes or ways of organization into use for the first time in a specific context in order to increase effectiveness, competitiveness, resilience to shocks or environmental sustainability and thereby contribute to food security and nutrition, economic development or sustainable natural resource management.
Innovation consists of doing something new and different, whether solving an old problem in a new way, addressing a new problem with a proven solution, or bringing a new solution to a new problem.
Award
- Award includes a scroll describing the recipient’s achievements and/or award,
- A cash prize of USD $10,000
Eligibility
- The FAO Award for Innovation will be conferred for ground-breaking innovation in areas under FAO’s mandate to a broad spectrum of awardees, including Members, institutions, individuals, international/regional organizations, academic or research entities, civil society organizations private sector entities.
- The Award will recognise, but not be limited to, all types of innovations in agrifood systems, technological (including digital and biotechnological innovations) as well as social, financial, policy, and institutional innovations. It will also cover sustainable production practices such as agroecology, new approaches, new business models, etc.
- The innovations may fall under various categories including technological, institutional, social, policy, and financial innovations.
Criteria
Award specific criteria
- Demonstrate impact on more than one level of the supply chain, from small-scale agricultural producers (e.g. farmers, herders, fishers) to consumers.
- Strengthen the link between small-scale producers and consumers through innovative mechanisms such as innovative institutional arrangements, policy and financial mechanisms, social processes, innovative technological solutions including digital tools, innovation hubs, platforms connecting producers and consumers, innovative ways of access to markets and consumers etc.,) with due consideration to environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability.
General Criteria
- Quality and merit of the innovation
- Potential benefit, impact and sustainability
- Accessibility and affordability of the innovation
- Scalability
- Value for money
- Role of youth (under 35), and/or women, and/or marginalized groups
Application
Note:
- The text of the detailed nomination should be self-contained and should provide concrete elements and information.
- The nomination can be submitted electronically at the form or sent via mail at [email protected]
For more information, visit UN FAO Award for Innovation.
