A crop field./PHOTO; Courtesy
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has opened nominations for the FAO Award for Innovation, an opportunity aimed at recognising practical solutions that are improving how food is produced, processed, traded, and consumed.
The award focuses on innovations that help make agrifood systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and environmentally sustainable.
FAO is inviting nominations from governments, institutions, organisations, and individuals whose work supports its mandate and has shown clear results in recent years.
The call will remain open until February 2026, with the award to be presented later in the year.
Innovation is increasingly seen as essential to addressing global food challenges, including food insecurity, climate impacts, and unequal access to markets.
Through this award, FAO seeks to highlight approaches that work on the ground and can be adapted or expanded in different settings.
Who Can Apply and What Is Eligible
The FAO Award for Innovation is open to a wide range of actors.
Eligible nominees include national and local institutions, civil society organisations, private sector entities, research and academic institutions, international and regional organisations, and FAO staff members.
Both state and non-state actors may be nominated.
To qualify, the innovation must relate to areas under FAO’s mandate and must have demonstrated meaningful achievements during the biennium preceding the current one.
This means the award is not for ideas at an early stage, but for initiatives that have already been tested and shown results.
FAO is particularly interested in innovations that go beyond a single activity or group.
Eligible initiatives should demonstrate impact across more than one level of the food supply chain, linking producers, processors, traders, retailers, and consumers in a practical way.
Key Criteria for Selection
Nominations will be assessed using both award-specific and general criteria.
A key requirement is that the innovation strengthens the link between farmers and consumers.
This may include systems that improve traceability, sustainability labelling, fair pricing, access to markets, or better flow of information along the food chain.
General assessment criteria include the quality of the innovation, its potential benefits, and its ability to last over time.
FAO will also consider whether the innovation can be scaled up or adapted in other regions, and whether it represents good use of available resources.
Another important consideration is the role played by youth under the age of 35, women, and marginalised groups.
Innovations that meaningfully involve these groups, either as leaders, beneficiaries, or active participants, will be viewed favourably.
How to Submit and Key Dates
Nominations must be submitted by national, regional, or global institutions through FAO’s official channels.
In countries with an accredited FAO Representative, submissions should be sent to the FAO country office.
In countries without one, nominations should be submitted to the relevant FAO Regional or Subregional Office, which will forward them to the FAO Awards Secretariat.
The timeline for the award is as follows:
December 2025 – Call for nominations opens
February 2026 – Call for nominations closes
March–April 2026 – Screening of submissions
May 2026 – Final selection
December 2026 – Award ceremony
The award will be presented by the FAO Director-General during a special ceremony at the 181st session of the FAO Council, scheduled for 30 November to 6 December 2026.
By opening this call, FAO is offering innovators an opportunity to gain global recognition and contribute to shared learning on what works in building stronger agrifood systems.
Institutions and partners with proven, practical innovations are encouraged to submit their nominations before the February deadline.
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