The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria and the Sweet Potato for Nutrition Team at the International Potato Centre (CIP), Lima, Peru, have been named joint winners of the 2016 Al-Sumait Food Security category award at the Annual Al Sumait Awards Ceremony for African Development which held today 23rd November, 2016 at Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
The annual awards ceremony which was organised by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), was held during the fourth Africa-Arab summit in Equatorial Guinea to honour the 2015 and 2016 winners of the award in the fields of health and food security.
According to a press release issued by KFAS and made available to CEOAfrica, the Al Sumait Prize was initiated in 2013 by the Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, and was designed to reward innovative and inspiring initiatives and research by individuals and organizations that address the challenges facing the African continent.
Director General of (KFAS), who administers the awards, Dr Adnan Shihab-Eldin stated that the award recognizes and honours individuals or institutions that help advance economic and social development, human resources development and infrastructure in Africa, adding that all the recipients of the award have implemented ground-breaking approaches to tackle and eradicate the scourges of malaria and under-nourishment.
Dr Adan said “All Al-Sumait nominees demonstrated a melange of disciplines and academic and real-life research that showed a deep passion to address the challenges facing the great continent of Africa in profound ways.” He announced that the invitations for prize nominations for the Education field would open in December 2016.
The representative of IITA, Dr A Namanga Ngongi, appreciated the honour bestowed on the institute. He said “We are proud of this award and thank the Al-Sumait Prize for recognizing the efforts of IITA and our partners in helping African farmers and communities improve their livelihoods and enhance food and nutrition security through research and development on major food staples.”
Also appreciating the organisers of the award ceremony, the Director General of CIP, Dr Barbara Wells said, “We are very honoured that this work on bio fortified sweet potato has been recognised and awarded the Al-Sumait Prize for food security.”
Winning the award for health category was Professor Kevin Marsh of the African Academy of Sciences Kenya and Oxford University. The Medals were handed over By His Highness, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, accompanied by His Excellency President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Also in line up were the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.