By Tikondane Vega

Nassau, June 13, Mana: At the ongoing Afreximbank meeting in Bahamas, Malawi’s Professor, Richard Mkandawire and Nigeria’s, Umezuruike Linus Opara have been awarded with the inaugural Research and Innovation Competence in Agriculture Awards.

The two were awarded for their notable contributions to the research development and capacity building of Africa’s agriculture and food systems.

The awards were given by the Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA) and the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) during the Bank’s annual meeting currently underway in the Nassau city.

Mkandawire, was awarded with the 'Impactful and Evidence-based Policies Award' for his foundational role in conceptualizing the Comprehensive African Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and catalyzing its domestication in African countries.

He is a Former Head of CAADP at the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) where he was the principal architect in the design and adoption of CAADP.

While as Linus Opara Umezuruike, Distinguished Professor in Post-Harvest Technology, Faculty of Agri-Sciences at Stellenbosch University, was awarded the 'Africa Research Excellence Award' in recognition of his contribution to developing and validating a novel integrated value chain approach to post harvest research, innovation and capacity building in Africa.

Professor Mkandawire who received the prize in absentia talked to Malawi News Agency in a telephone call from Bahamas where the event is taking place.

He said,” I had hoped of coming in person to receive the award but as you know the tragic loss of our Vice president and others necessitated returning from Washington DC to Malawi. I am currently in transit in Addis Ababa.

Mkandawire is currently the African director Alliance for African Partnership and Chairperson of the Mwapata Institute of board of Directors.

Umezuruike received a 25,000 dollars’ prize, while Mkandawire received a 10,000 dollars’ prize.

The AFRICA awardees are selected by an autonomous entity—the AFRICA Independent Awards Selection Committee (AIASC), comprising five eminent personalities jointly appointed by the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank and the Executive Director of FARA.  The AIASC is supported by the Africa Awards Working Group (AAWG), composed of dedicated professionals from FARA and Afreximbank.

The award seeks to recognize and celebrate individuals, groups of individuals, or established organizations that have recorded excellence in advancing the Agricultural Innovation System.