Kenyan based African Agricultural Technology Foundation have announced the joint winners of the 2022 Al-Sumait Prize
The 2022 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development has been jointly awarded to that the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and Dr. Catherine Nakalembe
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The Board of Trustees, led by Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, acknowledged the remarkable accomplishments of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and Dr. Catherine Nakalembe in the field of food security, underscoring their significant roles in addressing the critical challenges faced by Africa.
The African Agricultural Technology Foundation, chaired by Professor Aggrey Ambali and headquartered in Kenya, was recognized for its success in facilitating access to crucial agricultural technologies for small-scale farmers across African nations. These technologies are tailored to tackle issues such as productivity, marketing, climate change resilience, and health risks.
Dr. Catherine Nakalembe, hailing from Uganda, was honoured for her ground-breaking work in crop mapping and monitoring. Her expertise, employing remote sensing and machine learning techniques, has proved invaluable in improving food security across the continent. Notably, she leads the NASA Harvest Africa program at the University of Maryland, which equips smallholder farmers in Africa with essential skills.
The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), responsible for overseeing the Al-Sumait Prize, emphasized that the AATF’s remarkable accomplishments and Dr. Nakalembe’s contributions have significantly advanced food security, health, and education in Africa.
This year’s Al-Sumait Prize received 51 nominations from 22 countries.
Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and a member of the Prize’s Board of Trustees, praised the vital work carried out by the recipients. commending their commitment to developing innovative solutions and expanding their reach to include small-scale producers in Africa, crucial steps toward eradicating hunger and poverty and enhancing the livelihoods of African producers.
The Al-Sumait Prize for African Development was initiated by the late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during the Arab African Summit hosted by Kuwait in 2013.
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The Prize serves as a platform to recognize and appreciate outstanding studies, scientific projects, applied research, and initiatives that have a profound impact on the economic, social, and human development of the African continent.
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